Ambient, experimental, live improvisation, soundscapes, drones
Program 2010
Antwerp Live Looping Festival 2010 - flyer
Steve Lawson
Trying to pin down just what it is that Steve Lawson does can be tricky -- he’s a solo bassist who spends a lot of his time making very unbasslike noises. He’s an ambient experimenter who likes pop tunes too much to go strictly soundscape, but is way too atmospheric to sit comfortably in the ‘instrumental rock’ category. His electronica leanings produce some amazing hi-tech sounds, but he resolutely avoids programmed beats, making the eventual hybrid of jazz, electronica, ambient, new age and ‘new acoustic’ influences infuriatingly hard to pigeonhole.
Having released six CDs on his own Pillow Mountain Records label, Steve has carved out a niche for himself as a composer and improvisor making music for the sake of itself. Whether playing completely solo, in his acclaimed duo with American singer Lobelia or in one of the many duo and trio line-ups to be spawned by The Recycle Collective, Lawson’s remit is to soundtrack the moment, to somehow put across in music the thoughts and emotions that can’t be put into words.
He’s managed to find a substantial audience, which has lead to headline shows across Europe and The US, major theatre tours in the UK opening for Level 42 and the 21st Century Schizoid Band, releasing six acclaimed albums, sold out shows at the Edinburgh Festival and reams of international press, radio play, and praise from critics, fans and fellow musicians alike.
“The richness of this music makes for a
rewarding listening experience on all levels
and I think Steve’s approach represents a
real step forward for the art of solo bass.” -- Michael Manring
Dirk Serries’ Microphonics
Dirk Serries has never shied away from leaps of faith. A decade ago, he stunned the ambient scene with an incisive twist to his personal style on the classic the river of appearance; and in 2005, he shed the renowned moniker of vidnaObmana, replacing it with the immersive guitar eruptions of his latest incarnation Fear Falls Burning. On microphonics, he has now taken his boldest step yet. Defying superimposed concepts and pseudonyms, he returns with the first material under his own name and at his most personal and vulnerable.
For years, Serries has experimented with spontaneous guitar improvisations over a continuous atmospheric drone. Initially intended as a means of rehearsing and developing ideas, these sessions were never intended to be released officially. Over time, however, Serries came to realize that these painstakingly pristine and painfully pure pieces constituted the very essence of his musicality, the foundation of what makes him as an artist. Composed of a minimal array of delicately attuned and interrelated themes, the music develops through the continuously shifting relations of its constituent currents. Because of this outward simplicity, Microphonics has turned out a work of great intimacy and immediacy, a yearning sonic breath which seamlessly fuses the elliptic ambient worlds of vidnaObmana with the dark mysticism of fear falls burning: this latest leap of faith is the sound of the morning awakening, of the day dreaming and the night speaking in its sleep.
Luis Angulo
Luis Angulo´s diverse musical influences are clearly portrayed through his spontaneous improvisations. By using electric and acoustic guitars, microphones, drum machines, effects and real time loop devices he is able to paint a broader musical picture taking you at times to an unexpected musical journey. His first loop based CD “Primeros Ciclos” is a good example which contains live performances as well as his own studio productions.
The Baja California born guitarist has played in the past with different cover bands around the southern California borders as well as Europe. He was also active in the world music program at San Diego State University where he studied ethnic rhythms and performed with the S.D.S.U African Ghanaian ensemble around California.
In Europe he was the guitarist singer songwriter and producer of the successful Cuban son group “Quinteto Chá” now reformed as “Son De Lui”, sharing the stage with Buena Vista Social Clubs guitarist Eliades Ochoa and Vocal sampling. In Germany he has also been active promoting the late live loop music movement. He has also been participating in the late live looping movement and was invited to perform at the first International Live Looping Festival in Cologne as well as the International Y2K8 Live looping festivals in Santa Jose and Santa Cruz California which were sponsored by Universal Audio and Looperlative Audio Products. In 2003 he hosted the first live looping concert in southern Germany and in 2004 at the cafe Literario in Mexicali B.C. Mexico.
N
The music of N is like a mirror of the moment. Regardless how much thinking and planning went before, the sound captured by a “live”-recording setting comes directly from the inside. Amps + guitar are the instruments used, there is no cut and paste afterwards nor any overdub…
All N-work is counted by numbers that reflect the timeline of recording and / or the moment of the conclusion to go for the certain concept. All N-recordings (with the possible exception of single-tracks) deal with a real place and so the title of any album does.
N comes from Germany is also called Hellmut Neidhardt.
Signals under Tests
Signals Under Tests was conceived in late 2008 by Ricky Graham and John King as an opportunity to explore the aesthetics of sonority. The duo combine their performance and programming talents to present a unique approach to live contemporary guitar music. The pair attended STEIM in April 2009 in pursuit of exploring the utilisation of new technologies in their performance and composition. They have released a series of live recordings on Manchester based electronica net label, Hippocamp. Ricky and John perform regularly in the UK, recently supporting German electronica legend, Ulrich Schnuass at Celtronic Festival in 2009. The duo are currently working on a series of recordings due for release in late 2009.
Press
“Astonishing” -- Stephen McCauley -- BBC Radio Foyle
“Signals under Tests have all the potential of turning into one of the top newcomers in the Sound Art category this year. Their debut album “Live at Verbal Arts” (released as a free download on the Hippocamp Netlabel) presents a style that is at the same time recognisable and refreshing. Performing with utmost delicacy, their freely drifting, warmly grooving soundscapes are both meditative and stimulating, precisely organised and propelled by a surreal kind of dream logic. Fans of the drone genre will love how their minimal Guitar motives coalesce into shimmering impulse-textures” -- Tobias Fischer -- Tokafi.com