Sunday 27 August 2017, 7.30pm
Steph Horak and Renick Bell have been collaborating since 2016. Their first performance together was at The Exchange in Bristol in November of 2016. Horak improvised heavily processed vocals and also processed the improvised beats live coded by Bell. They had a second opportunity to perform at the Meta Gesture Music concert at Rich Mix in London in March of 2017. This performance will be their fifth public performance.
"Renick Bell is one of [the algorave] scene’s more flabbergasting producers," writes Mixmag magazine. Resident Advisor calls him "Algorave kingpin" and writes that he "is one of the leading figures of the algorave movement, and watching him make his music is just as fun as dancing to it." Bell improvises bass-heavy algorithmically generated music full of percussion and noise by live coding with open source software, including software he has written called Conductive. Each performance is new and unique, unheard before the event even by Bell, with his live programming activity projected for the audience to see. In 2019, he was selected by Aphex Twin for the latter's first-ever curated event for the The Warehouse Project in Manchester, UK, where he headlined the Archive Room stage. In 2018 he released an album called Wary on 2018 Grammy-nominated producer Rabit's Halcyon Veil label and another called Turning Points on Seagrave Records, which was a critical success, including being ranked 19 out of "The 50 best albums of 2018" by FACT magazine. He has releases on Lee Gamble's UIQ label, Berlin-based Conditional Records and Saplings Records, among others. His music practice corresponds with a research practice of writing software and writing research papers on live coding, electronic music, and art, as well as teaching in university and other contexts. Based in Tokyo since 2006, Bell has lived in Asia since 2001. He is originally from West Texas.
Steph Horak improvises with different systems for processed voice, whether through the use of self-programmed software, or combinations of hardware and electronic instruments. These experiments can be found under the moniker SheIsRevolting. Recent sound projects include threehundredandsixtysix, vocal drone compositions made when Horak sang a note a day for a year. The recordings were released on cassette on the FractalMeat label.
https://stephhorak.wordpress.com/
https://soundcloud.com/sheisrevolting
https://soundcloud.com/threehundredandsixtysix
https://www.youtube.com/user/sheisrevolting
Alo Allik is an Estonian sound artist who has performed his live coded electronic music and generative computer graphics throughout the world. His aesthetically and geographically restless lifestyle has enabled him to traverse a diverse range of musical worlds including DJ-ing electronic dance music, live electronic jam sessions, electroacoustic composition, free improvisation and audiovisual performances. He has forged collaborations with a number of curious and innovative musicians, writers and visual artists along the way focussed on exploring links between science, technology, creativity and tradition. In recent years he has been developing a musical style he describes as noisefunk which derives its form from ancient tribal rhythm patterns and its sonic nature from evolutionary synthesis algorithms. Currently, Alo works as a researcher, programmer and lecturer in London, while continuing to perform his music and visuals to audiences worldwide.
Initially started as a radio show, London-based Alien Jams has since evolved into a record label, event series and more - widely exploring sounds across experimental electronics, industrial, electro, EBM and noise. The label from founder and DJ Chloe Frieda has long nurtured local artists and released music from rkss, Wilted Woman, Karen Gwyer, Beatrice Dillon, YAWS, and oMMM.
Sharon Gal is an interdisciplinary artist, performer, vocalist and composer, specialising in free improvisation, experimental music and collaborative, participatory large group compositions. She works with voice, electronics, extended techniques, field recordings, found audio, video and collage; exploring presence, listening, embodiment, and the relationship between people, sound and space. Sharon performs solo and in collaborations with: David Toop, John Butcher, John Edwards, Sue Lynch, Andie Brown, Yoni Silver, Steve Beresford, Phil Minton, Charles Hayward, Anat Ben David and Lina Lapelyte.
Since 2007 she has directed a series of site specific, large group compositions, inviting musicians and non-musicians to take part. She curated music concerts, including the series Sound Matter, at Café OTO, and concerts at Iklectik arts lab. Her music was released by many labels, including five solo albums and various collaborations.
Past performances include The V&A, ICA, The Whitechapel Gallery, Tate Modern & Tate Britain, MACBA, and Colour Out Of Space, Borealis, Supernormal, Supersonic, TUSK and Tectonics festivals.
Etudes by Sharon Gal, a collection of text & colour scores, presented as a deck of 78 cards, was supported by Sound and Music and published in 2021. Her project, Healing Choir, ran @ the Kilburn Tin Tabernacle between August-October 2024.
https://www.sharon-gal.com/
https://sharongal.bandcamp.com
