Pressure Makes Diamonds

”Pressure Makes Diamonds” is the story of a community — not of an outsider, a journalist, or a foreign visitor.  

What that means is the words of the community – not the author’s – that tell the story. 

It is non-linear documentary told through conversations. The author’s voice is present not as a narrator, but rather as a curator — composing a chorus of voices into a symphonic multilogue, rather than a monologue.

And yet, the author is a part of the story, being part of the community. 

First-person descriptions or subjective interpretations are prone to distortion — and are thus foregone. 

Therefore, the book consists primarily of conversations between real people.

In total, over 400 interviews were collected over three years. 

Selected transcripts from these conversations are presented exactly as they took place.

However, the contents of the book are far from random – by following the resonance between seemingly-distant people and phenomena, traces of truth begin to emerge in the commonality of human experience.

If the book has any central thesis, it is this: 

The truth lies in music, which can be defined as emotions rendered in physical form and shared — and it is these emotions which can bring about unity, division, war, or healing — the choice of which is (for better or worse) to be made by each of us.

1. a DJ is a storyteller
2. a dancefloor is a sorting algorithm
3. attack, decay, sustain, release
4. reverb, compression, distortion, delay
5. rhythm, tempo, harmony, dissonance
6. the sound of family
7. the science of trust
8. gonzo philosophers
9. a space is a genre
10. a genre is a culture
11. culture makes movement
12. movement makes friction
13. friction makes heat
14. heat makes war
15. war makes pressure
16. pressure makes diamonds
17. white noise
18. music is the answer
19. hard cuts
20. smooth transitions
21. closing tracks

Three different aspects of the author’s life form the foundation of inquiry:

- As a journalist with over 10 years as a journalist reporting on conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and America;
- As a civil rights activist in New York City, and;
- Prior to both, a musician born into the queer underground music scene.

At the same time, *Pressure Makes Diamonds*, owes a debt of inspiration to two historic works of journalism: Svetlana Alexievich’s *Secondhand Time*, a Nobel Prize-winning chronicle of repressed emotions unraveling with the fall of the USSR; and *Der Klang Der Familie* – a documentary on the rise of Berlin’s Techno scene after the fall of the wall, by German journalists Felix Denk Sven von Thülen.

As the collector and curator of the story, I am always listening, always communicating, and sometimes recording.

My goal is to capture natural conversations in as relaxed a manner as possible — taking care to align with each participant’s comfort. 

Most of these conversations take place in the environment of casual social settings — the traditional format of *interviews* which are typical in journalistic practice are therefore rare – but occasionally employed, in consideration of each participant’s preference.

This can often be a taxing balancing act: carefully traversing the documentalist’s tightrope between pursuing the gold of unfiltered human truth which most often appears  in genuine moments — while attempting not to disrupt or spoil them.

I have therefore devised a method to facilitate the work of this project which allows for the greatest flexibility to allow for participation, while maintaining high ethical standards of informed consent.

I follow a routine of first briefing subjects on the project, seeking enthusiastic and harmonious accord on their participation. We then speak at a time and place which is comfortable for all those involved, and with consideration to the space around us. 

For those who are interested in participating in the writing of this history, you can choose one of the following options, or propose an alternative:

• Schedule a meeting or call by choosing a time in my calendar
• Meet in person to speak synchronously
• Converse over messaging apps, via voice notes or text

I always make sure to get clear and explicit consent from the people I’m speaking to begin an interview and start recording. I never practice secret or “undercover” reporting methods.

Following any recorded conversation that I intend to consider for inclusion in the book, I keep records of the person’s contact information, so that I may follow up to later confirm their willingness to participate. I also ask every participant how they wish to be named in the book — offering the option to be quoting using their full name, first name, or a pseudonym. This is typically included as part of the recorded conversation, for documented reference.

Above all, I strive to respect the time, wishes, safety and privacy of all those I speak to for my book (and otherwise). I have developed this method and am sharing it for the sake of transparency.

My special thanks go to the Security Team and Press Team of ∄, who have patiently abided my persistent attempts to conduct conversations with artists, guests, and artists — all of whom hold my highest respect.