Eli Keszler

Eli Keszler

Lost And Sound · 2025-07-16

Eli Keszler joins me this week to talk about rethinking sound, space, and what it means to create music in an uncertain world. A lifelong percussionist, Eli’s work has often explored the edges of rhythm and texture—dismantling traditional approaches and rebuilding them into something uniquely his own.

Eli isn’t just a percussionist who produces great albums though. A visual arist and a creative mentor who has collaborated with everyone from Oneohtrix Point Never to Laurel Halo to Skrillex. We talk about how his relationship with the studio has shifted over time, how working in film has expanded his compositional approach, and how speed and density in performance can create a strange kind of stillness. His new self-titled album on LuckyMe marks his eleventh solo release and reflects years of process, reflection, and experimentation.

The conversation also opens out into something I‘m currently really interested in asking artists‘ opinions on: how the function of music itself is changing. As digital culture reshapes how we interact, consume, and listen, Eli reflects on the possibility that music might be returning to something more spiritual, more tactile—more connected to personal and communal practice than product. We talk about the idea of a “humanist retreat” from the frictionlessness of tech, and how creative work might serve as a space to resist or reimagine that drift.

Listen to Eli Keszler’s music:

Bandcamp

Listen to Eli Keszler (2024):

Bandcamp

Follow Eli Keszler on Instagram:

@eli_keszler

If you enjoy Lost and Sound and want to help keep it thriving, the best way to support is simple: subscribe, leave a rating, and write a quick review on your favourite podcast platform. It really helps others find the show. You can do that here on Apple Podcasts or wherever you like to listen.

Lost and Sound is sponsored by Audio-Technica – makers of beautifully engineered audio gear. Check them out here: Audio-Technica

Want to go deeper? Grab a copy of my book Coming To Berlin, a journey through the city’s creative underground, via Velocity Press.

And if you’re curious about Cold War-era subversion, check out my BBC documentary The Man Who Smuggled Punk Rock Across The Berlin Wall on the BBC World Service.

You can also follow me on Instagram at @paulhanford for behind-the-scenes bits, guest updates, and whatever else is bubbling up.

Lost And Sound

Lost and Sound is a podcast exploring the most exciting and innovative voices in underground, electronic, and leftfield music worldwide. Hosted by Berlin-based writer Paul Hanford, each episode features in-depth, free-flowing conversations with artists, producers, and pioneers who push music forward in their own unique way.

From legendary innovators to emerging mavericks, Paul dives into the intersection of music, creativity, and life, uncovering deep insights into the artistic process. His relaxed, open-ended approach allows guests to express themselves fully, offering an intimate perspective on the minds shaping contemporary sound.

Originally launched with support from Arts Council England, Lost and Sound has featured groundbreaking artists including Suzanne Ciani, Peaches, Laurent Garnier, Chilly Gonzales, Sleaford Mods, Nightmares On Wax, Graham Coxon, Saint Etienne, Ellen Allien, A Guy Called Gerald, Jean Michel Jarre, Liars, Blixa Bargeld, Hania Rani, Roman Flügel, Róisín Murphy, Jim O’Rourke, Yann Tiersen, Thurston Moore, Lias Saoudi (Fat White Family), Caterina Barbieri, Rudy Tambala (A.R. Kane), more eaze, Tesfa Williams, Slikback, NikNak, and Alva Noto.

Paul Hanford is a writer, broadcaster, and storyteller whose work bridges music, culture, and human connection. His debut book, Coming to Berlin, is available in all good bookshops. 

Lost and Sound is for listeners passionate about electronic music, experimental sound, and the people redefining what music can be.

Where can you listen?

Apple Podcasts Logo Podtail Logo Google Podcasts Logo RSS

Episodes