Le Guess Who?’s Who 2019: Ami Dang

28 October 2019

There’s just over a week 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.

Ami Dang

Official Website

Performing Saturday 9th November at Janskerk

Based in Baltimore, Ami Dang has woven herself into the fabric of the local DIY music scene for a decade now. An extraordinary vocalist, sitarist, producer and composer, Ami released a new album last August, Parted Plains, a mesmerizing and transcending all instrumental record blending ambient, trance and electronic music, and inspired by South Asian and Middle Eastern folktales. We are thrilled to see her live at Le Guess Who? and asked her what other artists she is looking forward to seeing live.  Read on to find out.

 

“I very intentionally focused on womyn (and POC) artists as my choices, even though I’m also interested in some male and male, white musician.”

Dossier X

Performing Sunday 10th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by Patrick Higgins

“I met Monica Mirabile ten years ago when she was making costumes and helping with art direction for an avant musical theatre adaptation of the Japanese story Matsukaze. I saw her blossom into an amazing movement artist and dancer in Baltimore and then further develop her work after she moved to Brooklyn. She is one-half of FlucT, and continues to surprise and impress me with every project she’s involved in. I would never miss an opportunity to see her work! She also choreographed Mitski’s video for “Washing Machine Heart.”

 

Haco

Website

Performing Saturday 9th November at Stadsschouwburg, curated by Jenny Hval

“I’m really surprised (and maybe embarrassed?) that I hadn’t heard of Haco before now. She’s been around for a while, so I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of her. But then I thought, of course we haven’t heard about her much: she a womyn artist of color who uses electronics/technology–which is a very white, cis-male-dominated space.
I checked out her work, and it seems that she might be a jack and master of all trades: performance art, sound art and music, visual direction–she does it all! Listening to her work was like walking through a park of classical sculptures that turn into cyborgs right before your eyes.”

Lafawndah

Website

Performing Friday 8th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by Iris van Herpen & Salvador Breed

“In 2015, I was obsessively listening to Lafawndah’s Soundcloud page. I was totally absorbed in her expressive yet somewhat nasal voice and the mashup of splashy beats and contemporary electronics. I haven’t gotten a chance to see her live, but her videos and photos offer a glimpse into a fantastic world that can only manifest into a grand production.”

 

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.

Watch the short film for Kaada’s ‘Farewell’

27 October 2019

Norwegian composer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Kaada has unveiled a beautiful short film to accompany the cinematic and striking ‘Farewell’, lifted from his utterly sublime album Closing Statements, which was one of our 15 Album Picks of 2018. Filmed in several locations like LA, Shanghai, Romania, Iceland and Norway, the film was directed by Christian Holm-Glad, who had this this to say about it:

“As people, we are scared to make changes. We are afraid of being alone. We are afraid of not making money, so we do the same routines every day. We are risk adverse, but when you dare to do something else, it is often the best decision in life.”

Kaada also commented on it:

“I met photographer Daniel Voldheim and Christian Holm-Glad by chance some 15+ yrs ago. Little did I know then that this encounter would result in the great collaboration we have today. It is a privilege to work with someone who manages to translate my musical world into images and stories so seamlessly.”

Watch the short film for ‘Farewell’ below.

Land Of Kush share third single ‘Trema’ featuring Nadah El Shazly

23 October 2019

Photo: Thomas Boucher

You have probably already heard us gushing about Land of Kush, the large orchestral ensemble assembled and directed by composer and musician Sam Shalabi. Their much anticipated new album, Sand Enigma, will see the light of day in a couple of weeks and they had already shared two magnificent tracks from it, ‘Safe Space‘ and ‘Domyat 1331’. As we get close to release day on November 8th through Constellation, Land Of Kush are offering another cut from the record, ‘Trema’, featuring lyrics and vocals by Nadah El Shazly. Take a listen now.

Le Guess Who?’s Who 2019: Efterklang

22 October 2019

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.

Efterklang

Official Website

Performing Thursday 7th November at TivoliVredenburg, curated by Iris van Herpen & Salvador Breed

Efterklang have long been one of our favourite bands. The Danish trio of childhood friends Mads Brauer, Casper Clausen and Rasmus Stolberg always manage to surprise and impress us with their spellbinding genre transcending compositions. Over the years, album after album, they keep pushing ahead, venturing in new and exciting directions. With a stunning new album just out, Altid Sammen, under their collective belts, we can’t wait to see them performing it live at Le Guess Who?. And today Rasmus tell us which three bands he’s most excited to see at the festival.

 

Joseph Shabason

Website

Performing Saturday 9th November at Theater Kikker

“I love his solo albums. Some years ago Spotify’s algorithm suggested I listened to Aytche and I immediately fell in love and somehow it all felt very familiar. Later on I realised what a big role Joseph plays on Detroyer’s Kaputt album and it all made sense to me I have listened to that album a 1000 times. The newest album in collaboration with his mother is another masterpiece!”

 

Negativland

Website

Performing Sunday 10th November at TivoliVredenburg

“I have climbed the highest mountains. I have run through the fields, but I have never seen Negativland play live and I have no idea how they perform their art/music but I can only imagine it will be both fun, interesting and perspective changing. This is still one of my favorite collage / sample songs.”

 

Träd, Gräs och Stenar (Träden)

Facebook

Performing Friday 8th November at De Helling

“Great band from Sweden with one of my favorite guitarists Reine Fiske aboard. Slow grooves, prog amazingness and plenty of ideas. I imagine drinking a nice big beer and being at this concert and it will feel like heaven.”

 

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.

Irmin Schmidt’s Villa Wunderbar to be released on vinyl, live dates announced

21 October 2019

Six years ago, Mute and Spoon gifted the world with the magnificent Villa Wunderbar, a 2CD set from avant-garde composer and one of Can’s founding members Irmin Schmidt. The release compiles Schmidt’s solo and soundtrack work, with the first part being a collection of his solo work over the past 30 years. The second half, curated by long-term collaborator Wim Wenders, compiles Schmidt’s film and television soundtrack work and also features two Can remixes, ‘Alice’ and ‘Last Night Sleep’. Villa Wunderbar, previously only available on CD, will be released as a four-piece vinyl box set on November 22nd, with his latest work ‘Klavierstück V’ included as a bonus.

Villa Wunderbar is an absolute treat and you can hear it for yourself with this selection of six very different and very excellent tracks.

In other good news, Schmidt has announced three rare live solo dates in the UK and Europe, including an appearance at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival on November 21st, that will see him perform the worldwide premiere of two unheard compositions and the UK premiere of “Klavierstück II”. He will also perform in Nantes on December 11th and at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections Festival on January 25th.