Category Archives: Blog

Matana Roberts’ Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis out on Friday

14 October 2019

Photo: M.Tarantelli

This Friday will see the release of Matana Roberts‘ Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis, marking the fourth instalment in her ongoing experimental project Coin Coin. The project counts already three releases, 2011’s Coin Coin Chapter One: Gens de couleur libres, 2013’s Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile and 2015’s Coin Coin Chapter Three: river run thee.

Roberts offered a few words about it:

“As an arts adventurer dealing w/ the medium of sound and its many contradictions I am most interested in endurance, perseverance, migration, liberation, libation, improvisation and the many layers of cognitive dissonance therein as it relates to my birth country’s history. I speak memory, I sing an american survival through horn, song, sadness, a sometimes gladness. I stand on the backs of many people, from so many different walks of life and difference, that never had a chance to express themselves as expressively as I have been given the privilege. In these sonic renderings, I celebrate the me, I celebrate the we, in all that it is now, and all that is yet to come or will be… Thanks for listening.”

Following the magnificent first taste from the album, “Raise Yourself Up” / “Backbone Once More” / “How Bright They Shine”, the phenomenal alto saxophonist, composer, improviser and sound experimentalist is raising the bar of excitement with a medley of three pieces, “Her Mighty Waters Run” / “Wild Fire Bare” / “Fit To Be Tied”.

Coin Coin Chapter Four: Memphis is out on October 18th through Constellation.

Crammed Discs set to release Kinshasa 1978: Originals And Reconstructions

13 October 2019

Crammed Discs have announced a very exciting and extravagant release entitled Kinshasa 1978: Originals And Reconstructions. A double record, it features unreleased music from Sankayi, Orchestre Bambala, Orchestre Bana Luya and Konono Nº1, recorded in Kinshasa in 1978 by Bernard Treton. The release also features new reconstructions by French producer Martin Meissonier, who had this to say about it:

“Bernard Treton – who produced the original recordings in 1978 – is a longtime friend and colleague: we were working together at Radio France during the ‘70s, often with composers of minimal music, in which we were both interested. During his stay in the Congo, he regularly kept me informed about the emerging scene there, about bands such as Konono No.1, Les Stukas etc., and was bringing me 7” records. I was fascinated by these quasi-punk African musicians, who were manufacturing their own instruments and microphones, and were playing in the streets in front of fake amplifiers.

When he offered me to create remixes from the original stereo tapes, I didn’t hesitate. I aimed at staying as close as possible to the rhythms and the spirit of their trance-inducing music, while giving it a fatter sound, for use in my DJ sets. It turns out that it does work, and young audience members often come and ask me about the identity of these strange tracks that they can’t find with shazam…”

Kinshasa 1978 : Originals And Reconstructions is due out on November 15th but we can already get a taste with two ecstatic singles, Konono N°1’s original ‘Kin 78 One’ and the reconstruction of Sankayi’s ‘Il ne faut pas intervenir’.


Anne Müller shares first single from upcoming debut album Heliopause

09 October 2019

A familiar name in the Erased Tapes family, Anne Müller has performed and collaborated with the likes of Nils Frahm, Lubomyr Melnyk, Ólafur Arnalds and many more. But the Berlin based cellist and composer hasn’t yet released under her own name and finally a solo debut is on the way. Entitled Heliopause, the record takes its name from the theoretical boundary to interstellar space and Müller’s interest coincides with two voyagers recently crossing the Heliopause, having been sent on an exploratory mission 42 years ago, nearly the same age as her.  Like this unprecedented event into uncharted territory, and as the label puts it, “Heliopause marks the end of a long journey but also the start of voyages to explore strange new worlds”.

Müller is giving us a glimpse of the album with the compelling lead single ‘Nummer 2’, which is the second piece she ever wrote. Take a listen below.

Heliopause is out on November 22nd through Erased Tapes

Le Guess Who?’s Who 2019: Miranda Cuckson

08 October 2019

There’s less than a month to go before Le Guess Who? takes over Utrecht. With over 150 artists set to perform, how do we make sense of such a monumental line-up? We made a list of the artists we’re most excited to see and asked them for their recommendations.

Miranda Cuckson

Official Website

Performing Thursday 7th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by Patrick Higgins

Photo: John Rogers

Exhibiting an unsurpassed mastery of the violin and the viola, Miranda Cuckson performs beautifully anything that comes her way. A renowned and unique performer, with numerous prestigious awards and accolades under her belt, she engages wholeheartedly and skilfully with her music, playing pieces ranging from the classical repertoire to contemporary ones. Over the past fifteen years, Miranda has performed and worked with an array of both established and emerging composers from around the world and obviously, we can’t wait to see her performing at Le Guess Who?. And now we know who she is looking forward to seeing too!

 

Sarah Davachi

Website

Performing Friday 8th November at Janskerk, curated by Jenny Hval

“I’m a fan of Sarah Davachi’s music – the tactility of the sound, the throbbing resonance, the stillness but inner intensity. I’m intrigued by how she really delves into the nooks and crannies of an instrument’s tone, just dwells there. I’m excited she’s performing. ”

 

Fatoumata Diawara

Website

Performing Sunday 10th November at at TivoliVredenburg

“I’m also thrilled about Fatoumata Diowara, both her own performance and her curation. Her music is exhilarating and I think what she does as an African and international artist is amazing.”

 

Ahmed ag Kaedy

Facebook

Performing Saturday 9th November at LE:EN, curated by Fatoumata Diawara

“I’m also eager to hear the songs and spirit of Malian musician Ahmed ag Kaedy in Fatoumata’s line-up.”

Le Guess Who? will take place 7-10 November. For the full line-up, tickets and more info visit leguesswho.com. And take a look at other artists we’re excited about picking their own Le Guess Who?’s Who.

Sarah Pagé unleashes video for new single ‘Lithium Taper’

08 October 2019

This Friday will see the release of Dose Curves, the debut album from Montreal based experimental harpist Sarah Pagé. She had previously released two grippingly beautiful singles, ‘Ephemeris Data’ and ‘Stasis’, and to get us even more excited, she has unveiled a new song, ‘Lithium Tape’, and an accompanying video. The footage was shot in Iceland by Pagé and edited by experimental filmmaker Kyoka Tsukamoto. Watch it below.

Dose Curves is out on October 11th though Backward Music

Land Of Kush share new single ‘Domyat 1331’ off upcoming fourth album

07 October 2019

Photo: Thomas Boucher

Sam Shalabi has been involved in an array of phenomenal adventurous projects, from his trio The Dwarfs of East Agouza to his role as arranger and musical director in Jerusalem In My Heart´s album last year. This summer, the composer and musician finally announced the return of his large orchestral ensemble Land Of Kush with a new album, Sand Enigma, following 2013’s The Big Mango. Land of Kush had already enticed us with ‘Safe Space‘ and now a new magnificent track, ‘Domyat 1331’, has surfaced ahead of the album’s release on November 8th through Constellation. Shalabi commented on the new track:

“Domyat 1331 has 3 resonances – it is for my mom who was fading away into dementia while I was writing this section of Sand Enigma. Domyat is the town in Egypt where she was born on August 13 1931 – 1331 is also an “angel number” – if it keeps cropping up in your life it’s supposed to mean a guardian angel is watching out for you and sending you positive vibes (so say those who know of such matters)… The melody is a kind of paraphrase of a lullaby she used to sing to me when I was I kid and in the piece I tried to convey the arc of what was happening to her towards the end of her life. Also in a weird way this piece makes me think of Egypt right now and “her” (hopefully temporary) dementia…”

Listen to ‘Domyat 1331’ below.