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The LeadAs world leaders gather for the G7 summit, Zoe Williams reflects on how the global power landscape has transformed since her participation in massive G8 protests 25 years ago. The author observes that while protests continue, they now target different entities as the traditional power structures of wealthy nations show signs of collapse from within.The Historical Context of Anti-Globalization ProtestsTwenty-five years ago, 200,000 protesters gathered in Genoa to challenge the G8 summit, arguing that eight rich nations shouldn't dictate rules to the rest of the world. These protests were part of a broader anti-globalization movement that had honed its tactics and networks since the 1999 battle in Seattle outside the World Trade Organization summit. The authorities responded with elaborate security measures and police brutality, while the summit became a no-fly zone citing terrorism concerns—before 9/11 made such measures appear more paranoid than prescient.The Current State of Wealth InequalityFast forward to recent G7 protests, where demonstrators numbered around 20,000—significantly smaller than the Genoa gathering but with a more focused target: grotesque and unsustainable wealth inequality. A symbolic act was the torching of a Tesla, particularly potent since Elon Musk became the world's first trillionaire last week, with his wealth already rising to $1.4 trillion. The author notes that the person with £1 in the world is as close to being the second-richest person as that person is to Musk—a staggering illustration of wealth concentration.The Changing Dynamics of Global PowerThe author observes that national governments, even those claiming social democratic values, appear paralyzed by the power of extreme wealth. While publicly lamenting calls for civil foment by figures like Musk, these governments devote their attention to issues like banning social media for under-16s—what the author calls "the clearest possible signal that governments will unite to do anything, as publicly as possible, to delay the moment when they have to take on the forces of concentrated private capital."Meanwhile, the G7 nations are no longer unified, with Germany's Friedrich Merz declaring success that the summit had "found common language" in supporting Ukraine, despite the wild card of Donald Trump whose relations with Vladimir Putin remain opaque and whose support for Ukraine appears more like coercive control than genuine alliance.The Future of Global SummitsThe author suggests that traditional protests against the G7 may be becoming unnecessary as the group appears to be collapsing under its own internal divisions. World leaders appear personally insecure—Macron reportedly worrying about Trump leaving early, Starmer caught on camera asking about meetings he hadn't been invited to. The only unity these leaders demonstrate, the author argues, is in their determination to pretend that their unity has held.While protests remain important, they are now fighting a different entity: rather than strong, self-assured nations, protesters face insecure leaders in denial. The protesters' crucial target in this meeting of rich nations may not be nations at all, but the richest man in the world—a shift that reflects the changing nature of global power in the 21st century.

On Sunday, Geneva police fired tear gas and activated a water cannon as a largely peaceful march against the upcoming G7 summit devolved into violent clashes, marking the most serious unrest in the city since the 2003 G8 riots.Escalation of the Geneva Demonstration into ViolenceAbout 20,000 demonstrators gathered in the Swiss city to denounce the gathering of leaders from the world’s richest democracies. While most participants marched calmly under a blazing sun, waving Palestinian flags and climate banners, a subset of black‑clad protesters broke away, smashed barriers, attacked upscale apartment blocks, and set cars ablaze—including a Tesla emblazoned with “Eat the Rich.” Police reported that roughly 600 “Black Bloc” activists were involved in the violent actions.Numbers Behind the Unrest: Participants, Police, and ArrestsEstimated peaceful marchers: 20,000Identified Black Bloc participants: ~600Police tactics deployed: tear gas, water cannonKey property damage: burning of a Tesla vehicle, damage near the UN European headquartersImplications for G7 Security and Public PerceptionThe summit, opening Monday in the French spa town of Evian, arrives as the first major international meeting since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran and amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The violence in Geneva underscores heightened security challenges and may amplify public scrutiny of the G7’s focus on conflict resolution and Western military alliances. French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Evian to host U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders, while thousands of Swiss and French security personnel have been deployed around the lake region.What May Follow the Geneva Clashes?Authorities are likely to tighten perimeter security around the Evian venue, increase police presence in Geneva, and potentially adjust the summit agenda to address civil‑society concerns about militarism and Western foreign policy. Continued unrest could pressure G7 leaders to prioritize diplomatic pathways for the Iran and Ukraine conflicts, while also prompting a reassessment of protest‑management strategies in host cities.

The Return of Matías Aguayo's Infectious Energy Over the past two decades, Chilean-German vocalist and producer Matías Aguayo’s mutable, instinctive singing has been an instantly identifiable ingredient of leftfield electronic music. On Battles’ 2011 track Ice Cream, he squealed and tripped through syllables against a thunderous synth backing, while Japanese synth-pop group Crystal’s 2017 track Kimi Wa Monster saw Ayuayo singing a keening, childlike melody over instrumental. The Sound of Anenoa His own releases featured layered chants and scatter-gun vocal rhythms over pulsing Afro-Latin beats. While his last record, 2019’s Support Alien Invasion, marked his first foray into instrumental music, Anenoa heralds Aguayo’s welcome return to the mic across a selection of hard-hitting, dancefloor-focused arrangements. The Dancefloor-Focused Arrangements The fast-paced syncopated Latin rhythm of opener Sentimientos Encontraos sets the ebullient tone, with Aguayo’s nonchalant repetition of the title creating a hypnotic motif as bubbling and kinetic as the beat. Sprechgesang gives way to soulful falsetto on the ghetto house-influenced Asuka, Rock, Roll, while vocal processing transforms Aguayo’s party chants into a growling baritone on thumping trance number Avestruz en Veracruz. The Playfulness of Aguayo's Vocals There’s a playfulness to every vocal decision, veering from chipmunk high-pitched tones on Anenoa Pt 1 to the languorous listing of percussion instruments – “the snare, the cowbell, the shaker” – on funky highlight The Beat, as if Aguayo has been led purely by whim each time he steps into the booth. It gives the record an infectious, lively energy, encouraging listeners to turn up the volume and dance to Aguayo’s irrepressible sounds, no matter where his shapeshifting voice might take them next. Also Out This Month British-Egyptian duo Natacha Atlas and Samy Bishai release Parallel Universe Volume 1 (Airfono), blending melismatic Arabic vocals with a fascinating range of backing tracks. French-Iranian producer Cinna Peyghamy’s Music for Tombak & Synth (Other People) sculpts eerie sound worlds from the ancient Persian percussion instrument. Pakistani-American vocalist Ali Sethi soars alongside drummer and producer Gregory Rogove on their debut album Room Jhoom (self-released).