Le Guess Who?’s Who 2017: Aquaserge

There’s just over two weeks 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.

Aquaserge

Official Website

Performing Saturday 11th November at EKKO

The wonderful and thrilling musical universe of Toulouse’s experimental pop band Aquaserge sprawls across a number of influences and genres, from pop and 60s/70s rock to free jazz and noise. A supergroup of sorts, with an ever evolving cast of incredible musicians, they’ve released Laisse ça être earlier this year and we love the album to bits. Have a look at their recommendations for the festival, with a few words from the band.

“First of all, it’s very rare, and we are very happy to be invited to play at a festival with such a quality line up. Picking acts was no easy task…”

 

Sun Ra Arkestra

Official Website

Performing Sunday 12th November at TivoliVredenburg

“for the power of the orchestra, which goes in all directions”

 

Lili Boulanger – ‘Du fond de l’abîme’ performed by Radio Philharmonic Orchestra

 

Performing Friday 10th November at TivoliVredenburg

“it’s very rare to be able to listen to her music”

 

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares

Official Website

Performing Thursday 9th November at Domkerk, curated by Perfume Genius

 

Film: Incident at Restigouche

 

Showing Sunday 12th November at Louis Hartlooper Complex, curated by Jerusalem In My Heart

 

Juana Molina

Official Website

Performing Sunday 12th November at TivoliVredenburg

“simply an exceptional artist”

 

Richard Youngs

Facebook Page

Performing Friday 10th November at LE:EN, curated by Grouper

“a collaborator of our friend Makoto Kawabata, a unique guitar sound”

 

Le Guess Who? will take place 9-12 November. For the full line-up, tickets and more info visit leguesswho.com. And stay tuned for more artists we’re excited about picking their own Le Guess Who?’s Who.

Le Guess Who?’s Who 2017: Liars

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.

Liars

Official Website

Performing Thursday 9th November at De Helling

Photo: Vernon Maxwell

Now eight albums in, and having just released TFCF, Liars’ music has shifted from album to album, constantly taking exciting and unexpected turns. TFCF is the first record as the solo project of singer and guitarist Angus Andrew, who after living in New York, Berlin and LA, moved back to a remote part of his native Australia. We never know what to expect from Liars but we do know Angus and his new touring band will be tearing through a wild set spanning new and old material. And now we also know what Angus is looking forward to at Le Guess Who?.

 

Pharmakon

Bandcamp

Performing Sunday 12th November at EKKO, curated by Perfume Genius

“Margaret Chardiet is one of my favourite artists of the last few years. We actually played a festival with her in Beijing a couple of years ago but scheduling conflicts meant I couldn’t see her perform. I thoroughly hope things work out better at Le Guess Who? so I can finally witness what I’ve only been able to imagine.” Angus Andrew

 

Le Guess Who? will take place 9-12 November. For the full line-up, tickets and more info visit leguesswho.com. And stay tuned for more artists we’re excited about picking their own Le Guess Who?’s Who.

Le Guess Who?’s Who 2017: Greg Fox

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.

Greg Fox

Official Website

Performing Friday 10th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by Basilica Soundscape

Photo: Ebru Yildiz

The incredibly talented, versatile and daring drummer Greg Fox is a percussive force who has played and collaborated with an array of stellar artists, including Guardian Alien, Liturgy, Colin Stetson, Dan Deacon, Man Forever, Zs and Ben Frost, who is also performing at Le Guess Who?. Just last month, Fox released his second album, The Gradual Progression, with one of its main influences being the very jazz legend who is also gracing the stages of Le Guess Who? this year, Pharoah Sanders. Read on for a list of three acts Fox will definitely be catching at the festival.

 

Pharoah Sanders

Official Website

Performing Saturday 11th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by Shabazz Palaces

 

Matana Roberts

Official Website

Performing Sunday 12th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by Jerusalem In My Heart

Photo: Evan Hunter McKnight

 

Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe

Twitter

Performing Saturday 11th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by James Holden

Photo: Liz DeLeo

 

Le Guess Who? will take place 9-12 November. For the full line-up, tickets and more info visit leguesswho.com. And stay tuned for more artists we’re excited about picking their own Le Guess Who?’s Who.

Le Guess Who?’s Who 2017: Yat-Kha

There’s just 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.

Yat-Kha

Official Website

Performing Thursday 9th November at TivoliVredenburg

One band we’re looking forward to seeing is Yat-Kha. The astounding and acclaimed band from Tuva was founded over 25 years ago and explores the ground between traditional and modern, fusing traditional Tuvan music and throat singing with genres like rock, blues, post punk and electronic music. Led by guitarist and throat singer Albert Kuvezin, Yat-Kha have found audiences all around the world. Here’s their recommendations, with a few words from Albert.

 

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares

Official Website

Performing Thursday 9th November at Domkerk, curated by Perfume Genius

“know them for long time and always impressed by their professionalism and magical cords…”

 

Farida & The Iraqi Maqam Ensemble

Performing Saturday 11th November at Jacobikerk, curated by Jerusalem In My Heart

“we like spiritual, divine music. I think there must be godlike or spiritual in music!”

 

Jambinai

Facebook page

Performing Saturday 11th November at De Helling

“I heard them once in Beijing four years ago when they were young and really liked. Now I want to see if they made any progress.”

 

Le Guess Who? will take place 9-12 November. For the full line-up, tickets and more info visit leguesswho.com. And stay tuned for more artists we’re excited about picking their own Le Guess Who?’s Who.

Le Guess Who?’s Who 2017: Ex-Easter Island Head

There’s just over 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 asked the bands we’re most excited to see for their recommendations.

Ex-Easter Island Head

Official Website

Performing Saturday 11th November, curated by James Holden

First up is Liverpool based experimental trio Ex-Easter Island Head, who create mesmeric minimalistic and rhythmic compositions using mallets and guitars. When we asked them they told us they are looking forward to seeing Roy Montgomery, John Maus, Gas, the Sai Anantam Ashram Singers, Flohio and “more or less everything on the lineup”. But the three below topped their list:

Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares

Official Website

Performing Thursday 9th November, curated by Perfume Genius

 

James Holden & The Animal Spirits

Official Website

Performing Saturday 11th November

 

Visible Cloaks

Official Website

Performing Sunday 12th November

 

Le Guess Who? will take place 9-12 November. For tickets and more info visit leguesswho.com. And stay tuned for more artists we’re excited about picking their own Le Guess Who?’s Who.

Le Guess Who? unveils final line-up

If you’ve read our previous posts about its tantalizing line up, boasting incredible curators and artists drawn from all corners of the musical spectrum, you could easily think that Le Guess Who? is all set to be the best festival of 2017 in Europe, if not the world. And we would agree with you. Yet today, the Dutch festival that runs between 9th-12th November in Utrecht, announced its full line-up, adding 60 new performers to this year’s edition, and at the same time proving that Le Guess Who? is in a league entirely of its own.

There is a new addition to Perfume Genius’ curated program with acclaimed avant garde vocalist Mary Margaret O’Hara set to make a rare performance at the festival. Joining the extraordinary Le Guess Who? general line-up are American experimental hip hop group Dälek, the trilling and bold compositions of experimental pop supergroup Aquaserge, bewitching and inventive Argentinian artist Juana Molina with new album Halo under her belt, self-taught violinist and vocalist Sudan Archives’ performing in Europe for the first time, singer and guitarist Avey Tare of Animal Collective, the intricate psych-rock of Moon Duo and Stella Chiweshe known as the Mbira Queen in her native Zimbabwe. Also added to the bill are Thurston Moore Group, the expansive folk rock of Kevin Morby, London based Zimbabwean musician and poet Farai, Iranian-Dutch experimental pop songwriter Sevdaliza and US/Syrian multi-disciplinary artist K Á R Y Y N.

Amidst the new thrilling additions to Le Guess Who?’s line-up is a celebration of Alice Coltrane’s music. Transcendental recordings from her final decades composed at her Sai Anantam Ashram in California were released publicly for the first time earlier this year by Luaka Bop. Entitled World Spirituality Classics 1: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda and released as a compilation, these recordings will have their European premiere at Le Guess Who? performed by the Sai Anantam Ashram Singers.

In other big news, Le Guess Who? will host the 12-hour drone, a full-on immersive experience featuring several artists performing and experimenting within the realm of drone for 12 continuous hours. Some of the artists featured included brilliant and ingenious violinist and composer Jessica Moss, mighty Montreal trio BIG|BRAVE, Suuns’ Ben Shemie, Lea Bertucci, Thisquietarmy, Swedish composer and sound-artist Ellen Arkbro, sitar player Surajit Das and many more.

Here’s the complete list of performers added to the general line-up:

Thurston Moore Group, Kevin Morby, Sevdaliza, Stella Chiweshe, John Maus, Moon Duo, Black Lips, METZ, Sudan Archives, K Á R Y Y N, Avey Tare, Dälek, Juana Molina , Jesca Hoop, Ibaaku, Luka Productions, Essaie Pas, Farai, Aquaserge, Nicole Beutler presents ‘7: Triple Moon’, Big|Brave. Midnight Sister. Nobody (Willis Earl Beal), Love Theme, Kane Strang, Flohio, Sekou Kouyate, Circuit, Yat-Kha, Vampilia, Violent Magic Orchestra, Madensuyu. Den Sorte Skole, Muddersten, Altin Gün, Insecure Men, Brian Case, H. Hawkline, Steven Warwick, Champagne Superchillin.

With such a colossal line-up featuring over 150 artists at this year’s Le Guess Who?, Utrecht is an unmissable destination for musicians and music lovers this November. For more info and to get tickets, check out leguesswho.com.