Institute of Contemporary Arts

The Experiment: September 2008

For this month's listening pleasure we have a special showcase from innovative curators and musical programmers [no.signal] who have been tearing away the secret layers of thought provoking music for the last 5 years.

Exhibiting an impeccable taste in music and offering glorious challenging music and programs, [no.signal] are the gems in a bucket of coals when it comes to promoting and curating special one-off events and musical programs. They are about to embark on their first full UK-wide tour, with label and promoter NO-FI and the wonderful Finnish label Fonal Records.

[no.signal] and NO FI have come up with a original way of presenting a tour: something more akin to a site-specfic installation. Nine different acts from Finland and the US have been paired off (one pair is in fact a trio) to go into rehearsal for two solid days, each producing a brand new set of music. The new ensembles with new sets will then embark on an eight day tour of the UK, culminating in a finale at the ICA on 27 September. This month's podcast is devoted to their unique musical experiment.

First up are Kemialliset Ystavat and Axolotl. This pairing sees exotica meeting hard-rain-driven drone: psychedelic music for the 23rd century. Kemialliset Ystavat could be the dream child of Gong, or another 15-member communal family group (but they're keeping the numbers down on this tour). They do their lightly wonderful stuff on Fonal Records. Their counterbalance is Axolotl, from Jersey city. Karl Bauer seems to be splitting atoms with his music, a detailed drone with a quantum physics edge.

Next we have ES and Fursaxa - I think this pairing will work beautifully because their sound pallette is not dissimilar: both artists have a love of fresh free flowing electronic folkiness.

The two which are really three - Islaja and Blevin Blectum and Samara Lubelski - are a facscinating threefold coupling. Blevin Blectrum stands out (one of these kids is doing their own thing... ) but constasts are a good thing and this trio will be holding more than a few tricks up their sleeves. Islaja is from Finland and is a Fonal Records artist, her sound is lush and romantic provoking mythical dreams and tranced shamanic journeys. Samara Lubelski could be described similarly, but she is signed to Brooklyn's The Social Registry so throw in more fuzz and Marshall Amps and there you have her.

Our last pairing have gone all out - two intense bands who have created a new name for their collaboration: Dream Triangle. With this in mind expect a communal group-trance transporting you you to Tangerine Dream's Alpha Centauri and back. Finland's Tomutonttu and US's Skater are a match made in the Tuonela.

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 Eric Namour from [no.signal].

[no.signal]
NO FI
Fonal Records
Kemialliset Ystavat
Axolotl
ES
Fursaxa
Islaja
Blevin Blectrum
Samara Lubelski
Tomuttonttu
The Skater

Podcast

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