Thursday 29 October 2020, 8pm
Serious is very proud to present a new series of Between The Lines, joining forces with some of our favourite artists, labels and collectives to present a series of performances of boundary-pushing music.
On Thursday 29 October we team up with The Spectacular Empire – an artist collective led by experimental grime/dancehall artist GAIKA – who have put together a triple bill of spectacular proportions of artists at the cutting of edge of London’s RnB and hip hop scene. Featuring Hyperdub’s IDM producer Loraine James (whose debut album For You And I was named The Quietus’ Album of 2019), genre-bending RnB artist GLOR1A, and rising Afro-Irish rapper DEMIGOSH.
Showcasing artists at the forefront of 21st Century Afro-futurism and politically charged music, The Spectacular Empire and its artists’ endeavours are especially relevant during a crisis that has disproportionately affected ethnic minorities, and we look forward to welcoming them to Between The Lines in October.
Loraine James grew up in Enfield, North London and was drawn into the world of music-making through her mother's eclectic love of music, and she thanks the multiculturalism of her city, for 'broadening her ears' in her teens. She took piano lessons as a child, while classes at college, and later on Westminster University’s Commercial Music course, facilitated her encounter with the basic tools for digital production, her musical approach displays voracious musical curiosity and an exciting, peerless approach to making music.
Her wide exposure to jazz, electronica, UK drill and grime, reassembled through her intuitive skills and intimate, almost diaristic approach to music-making can be heard on the colourful mix-up of her Hyperdub debut album For You And I which was well-received when it was released in late 2019, garnering features from Pitchfork, Line of Best Fit, Mixmag and album of the year in both DJ Mag and Quietus in the UK as well as support on radio. A busy live schedule headlining and supporting acts such as Telefon Tel Aviv, Jessy Lanza and Holly Herndon followed, as well as demand as a remixer, before Covid ground everything to a halt.
Loraine took advantage of the Lockdown to work on her next EP, Nothing for Hyperdub in 2020 as well as self releasing EPs on Bandcamp and using a steady flow of remixes, from Jessy Lanza to Gordi and others to sharpen her skills, as well as starting a monthly show on NTS radio and performing at Adult Swim's annual music festival. Loraine completed and delivered her third album Reflection for Hyperdub, released in June 2021. She also recorded the eponymous debut album under her ambient-adjacent alias, Whatever The Weather, arriving in spring 2022 on Ghostly International. In contrast to her percussive club music sensibilities, with WTW she uses keyboard improvisations, stuttering production, and vocal experimentation to shape atmosphere, mood, and tone.
GLOR1A is an experimental multidisciplinary music artist creating music that cannot be boxed in, her sound is rooted in electronic, RnB and hip hop with her powerful soulful voice commanding the sonic experience. GLOR1A creates one-off otherworldly live environments for the audience to enjoy. Her first EP was championed by CLASH and Notion and we are excited for more music in 2020.
DEMIGOSH is a solo act, active member of London-based Afro-Irish collective Blackfish, and psych rock band Shadeemus. Whilst he has always been involved in collaborative music making and performance, he began carefully crafting his own sound 5 years ago when he made a critical move from Dublin to East London to pursue a career in music.
His creative impulse stems from an urgent need to reconnect with his Nigerian Yoruba roots, and to integrate this rich cultural heritage with western musical perspectives and indie influences afforded to him by his Irish upbringing. His contemporary and spiritually charged lyrics flow easily between English and Yoruba interwoven with his full bodied and intricate production work to present a post-apocalyptic afro-futurist vision of DEMIGOSH.
