Institute of Contemporary Arts

The Experiment: March 2009

Sometimes the effects of changing weather can make people and communities do weird and usual things.

Even the experimentally locked-minded can be affected! Spring is in the air, although this is no guarantee of warmer weather, due to bouts of schizophrenic weather of late. But alas the winds of change are definitely wisping around, and so here at The Experiment we have some strange and uncharted new mechanisms going on: we have recorded our most poppy-sounding podcast to date!

The first band that we are presenting is very much entrenched in the cultural backdrop of their home country Portugal. But add to this a deep blend of tribal rhythms, krautrock synths and jam-band philosophy and then you are coming close to unique sound of Gala Drop. We are showcasing tracks from their self-titled debut album which was produced by the wonderful Rafael Toral.

Next we have Sheffield's own The Little Glitches whose sound is all tangled up in hazy electronica and folk-ability-warm bright music for the clear thinking days of March.

America does have a long history with experimental electronic music and this history continues to venture on in the music of our next band: Yip Yip. Taking inspiration from such musical mavericks as The Residents and Kid 606, Yip Yip are very much on board the good ship futuresound/futuremedia. You can get lots of downloads from their website: free digital wallpaper, a Yip Yip video game, a desktop slide show and other fun desktop toys.

And next up we have another duo again Portugal. The leftfield-minded sounds of Ritchaz & Keke - think minimal West African tin drums and early American hip-hop - are all very lovely and raw with lo-fi production techniques.

Our next group sound as if they are not from this planet. In fact, they sound as if they are from some far-off future world and we have caught up with them in mid-initiation ritual chant mode about the worship and honoring of their third sun. Prince Rama of Ayodhya is a psych-folk group from Jamaica Plain who base their music on ancient sounds and chants. Their beautiful enchanting music is wonderfully unique and they have kindly given us a few exclusive tracks from an cross-platform project and collaboration that they have just completed with an architect, an EP entitled The architecture of Utopia. This sound would give The Incredible String Band a run for their money on outer dimensional ideas in folk.

Lastly, Kurt Vile (not Weill) is a one man walking strumming distorting hit maker!. He hails from Philadelphia like so many of our great sounding unique sounding artists at the minute. We are showcasing new tracks from his current LP Constant Hitmaker on Gulcher Records. I hope you like it: we do.

Keep Listening!

The Experiment is a monthly podcast commissioned by the ICA and presented and produced by Kevin Quigley. This month's guest presenter is Rita Vozone.

www.myspace.com/princeramaofayodhya
www.myspace.com/ritchazekeke
www.myspace.com/littleglitches
www.yip-yip.com
www.myspace.com/galadrop
www.myspace.com/kurtvileofphilly