What’s new to listen to
Ximena Smith rounds up the best of recent podcasts.
The Last Soviet
This new space history podcast is hosted by Lance Bass, a former member of the boy band NSYNC and Russian-trained cosmonaut (yep, seriously). The series tells the astonishing story of Sergei Krikalev, a Soviet mechanical engineer and cosmonaut who became stranded on a space station for 313 days during the collapse of the Soviet Union. The content moves along with a kind of swagger borne out of confidence in the incredible source material and takes full aural advantage of its outer space setting, featuring textures and effects that evoke the solitude and surrealism of Krikalev’s situation. Its historical chops are solid and Bass is an excellent host but it’s a shame Krikalev, now 64, isn’t interviewed – one was cancelled when Russia invaded Ukraine. New episodes every Wednesday.
You Didn’t See Nothin
From USG Audio and Invisible Institute, this series follows writer Yohance Lacour as he revisits the 1997 attack on Lenard Clark, a 13-year-old black boy who was beaten into a coma by a group of white teenagers in Chicago. Lacour is sceptical of the media narrative of racial reconciliation that quickly emerged around the story and wrote about it for a local newspaper. Two-and-a-half decades and an eight-year prison sentence later, Lacour interviews key figures and reflects on the profound impact it has had on his life. Lacour wears his feelings on his sleeve so it’s primarily a personal history with investigative elements woven in, making it a fresh and interesting new approach to true crime storytelling. New episodes out every Wednesday .
Snowcast
The esteemed British broadcaster and former Channel 4 News host Jon Snow has turned his hand to podcasting in this excellent new long-form interview show. Over 35 to 45 minutes, he and articulate, thought-provoking guests discuss topics ranging from polarisation and conspiracy theories (with journalist, author and filmmaker Jon Ronson) to the inner-workings of the brain (with UCL Professor Sophie Scott). It’s charming and conversational and you get the sense that Snow is enjoying breaking out of the restrictive confines of the Queen’s English (as can be heard in a humorous exchange about swearing with Ronson). It’s a pleasure listening to expert interviewers working with smart, interesting people and it creates real anticipation around who Snow will interview next. New episodes every Tuesday.