Jan Swerts + amiina present Fantômas + Helm (live A/V) + MIAUX + Maris

TIMING

In his teenage years Jan Swerts was mesmerized by Wim Mertens, Philip Glass and Keith Jarrett. More recently, neoclassical composers such as Max Richter and Jóhann Jóhannsson, but also by singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake.

Last year Swerts displayed the post-apocalyptic world that is Schaduwland (Shadowland): the soundtrack of a zombified existence after the great catastrophe, the musical score of his horror year 2014. On stage the voyage through Shadowland will be a long, final convulsion: from a whirling and sweltering opening, past a decaying and airy electronic mid section to an extremely desolate 'piano no man's land'...  

 

The icelandic string quartet amiina was formed by 4 female students of the Reykjavik college of music. Later they toured for a decade as Sigur Rós’ string quartet. Their new album Fantômas, originally the soundtrack of Louis Feuillade’s 1913 film, creates creates a dark and spooky soundtrack to this story including a robbery, murder and blackmail using violin, cello, percussion, harp and electronics into a captivating post-rock cocktail. Imagine a downsized Godspeed You! Black Emperor making music while the kids sleep upstairs

Helm is the moniker of Luke Younger (UK) that resides already for a while on the Berlin PAN Label. He crafts powerful, innovative electronic soundscapes that take inspiration from the unlikeliest of sources.

Her newest album Hideway is already the fifth release of Casio synth princess Mia ‘Miaux’ Prce on the Ultra Eczema label. Bathing in melancholy we are reminded to eighties pop, synth soundtracks and krautrock pioneers. Music to dream away and to wake up in a city where time stands still.  

On Gods and other Things is the debut album by Maris, the solo project of Leuven singer Mariske Broeckmeyer currently based in Brussels and New York. She spent half a year in Iceland to study sound design and composition,  where this album was created. Sharp sounds and heavy beats sound thick and layered, with crystal clear vocals, that will touch you deep inside.