Dreamt up in 2004, KLOF Magazine is a constantly evolving independent music and culture zine.
…one of the best music publications, hands down.
Free Dirt Records
Much of KLOF Mag’s coverage originates from small niche communities that exist outside, or in opposition to, the mainstream. Although not meant as a definitive guide, this includes Avant-garde, Jazz, Experimental, Field Recordings, Electro-acoustic, Minimalist, Ambient, and Folk music (often shaped by folklore or tradition but not anchored by it). From time to time, we also delve into literature and art.
Supporting us via Substack
We have a Substack that complements our website. Substack is an online, subscription-based platform that enables writers, journalists, and creators to publish content directly to subscribers. It combines a newsletter service, blog, and social media feed into one. Content is available on the Substack platform, via an email newsletter, and in a dedicated app (iOS and Android).
There is a free option (just without the perks) which can keep you up-to-date with what’s going on while our Paid Substack offers extras, including our weekly Monday Morning Brew Playlist, music recommendations, and exclusive articles. The paid Substack helps to support the work we do. Fans of our Substack include Colin Meloy of the Decemberists, who chose us as one of his Substack Featured Publications, adding:
I’ve learned about most of the music I’ve loved over the past couple years from the fine people at this publication.
Our music recommendations have featured in The Guardian, and we’ve been guests on BBC 6 Music (Tom Robinson called KLOF Mag a National Treasure).
Mixtapes and Playlists
Our Mixtapes and Playlists are very popular and are a great way to introduce you to new music.
What’s the difference?
A playlist is something you are all probably most familiar with. They are available to stream via DSPs such as Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and Qobuz; our listen links cover all the mentioned services as well as YouTube.
Here’s one of our longer playlist examples: Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | Tidal
and a more recent example of our Weekly Playlist that is sent to paid subscribers: Listen via Spotify | Apple Music | Tidal | Qobuz | YouTube
Our Mixtapes differ from a playlist. They are more like a live recorded DJ set. Some music may not be available on streaming services, and the resulting mixtape can be heard on Mixcloud, where we’ve been sharing our Mixtapes since 2010. We have over 22K followers on that platform.
The most significant difference for you as a listener is that the tracks featured in these Mixtapes can’t be skipped like a playlist. They can be listened to via a web browser on your phone, tablet, or PC (Mixcloud also has Apple iOS and Android Apps).
Oh, and they’re free. There are restrictions on fast-forwarding, rewinding, and total listens due to music regulations. Mixcloud operates a “fair and sustainable” model that handles all licensing and royalty payments for music played in DJ mixes and radio shows.
Here’s a recent Mixtape:
Make a donation
You can also make a donation to help support our work (will open in a new window):
If the button does not open a new window, click here.
The site is like a new music university where all the lectures are so much fun.
Kevin Ring (Editor of Beat Scene Magazine)
Advertise with Us
We run standard IAB ad sizes as follows: leaderboard (728×90), MPU (300×250), and half page (300×600). Advertising clients include numerous artists, labels, festivals and venues (ad-only – we do not run any sponsored articles).
To find out more or to discuss your needs, you can contact Alex: alex@klofmag.com
Submissions
For email submissions, please include a download link to high-quality files (MP3 – 320KBPS is best) along with supporting press, credits, liner notes, etc. We do not review album streams.
We get a lot of submissions and just don’t have the time to reply to all emails. If we feature a track or write a review, we will let you know.
Send to Alex via submissions@klofmag.com
Everything We Do Is Music
John Cage