With each edition of Rewire, we strive to locate music’s place within wider social and cultural conversations. This year, we focus on the shifting nature of music and musical performance, inviting a selection of inspiring artists and speakers to engage with and reflect on two festival themes: Instrumental Shifts and Staging Sounds.
Staging Sound observes the performative nature of music; the experience, ritual, and show. It’s the creative process by which musical material is translated into performance and a growing need for an experience beyond the sonic. There’s an urge for an artist to express ‘liveness’ through gestures and presence within an ever-changing environment in which music is being listened to. What do these tell us about the state of music, music as entertainment, and music as commodity? Within this theme, we take an in-depth look into the ways in which artists are choosing to express, present and perform their music, be it through new and inventive instruments, seeking out collaborations with visual artists and choreographers, or adding tactility to digital music. What patterns and trends are emerging, what is driving us towardsthese processes, and where will it lead us?
Explore the complete Staging Sound programme below.
The Rewire 2019 discourse programme is free. Day Passes for the rest of the programme are available atTickets.
Friday, 29 March – Koninklijke Schouwburg
In the three short years since her debut, Jlin has established herself as one of the world’s most forward-thinking electronic musicians. The American producer’s visionary use of percussion and meticulous production techniques have resonated far beyond the club context. Jlin’s latest project sees her collaborating with award-winning British choreographer Wayne McGregor for the production of a groundbreaking performance in contemporary dance. Built around the sequencing of McGregor’s own genome, ‘Autobiography Edits’ brings dancers from his world-class ensemble, Company Wayne McGregor, to the stage with a live score of sinuous electronics and ambient minimalism by Jlin herself.
→ https://www.youtube.com/embed/l6XOwb_uPUk
Friday, 29 March – Paard II
London-based DJ and producer Sega Bodega has built a reputation as being one of the UK’s most innovative and precocious creative minds. Inspired as much by his close network of peers as his love of cinematic soundscapes, his work in and out of club spaces has seen him chalk up an impressive catalogue of hard-hitting, bass-heavy releases. At Rewire 2019, he presents the latest iteration of ‘self*care’. Originally released as a digital EP before evolving into video project, ‘self*care’ now takes the form of a live performance built around live vocals, club-centric R&B and a visual installation by Shaun Murphy – responsible for Lanark Artefax’s critically-acclaimed stage design.
→ https://www.youtube.com/embed/eBbwaqDYmTQ
Saturday, 30 March – Paard I
Berlin-based DJ and producer Lotic has evolved into one of the most important voices in avant-garde club music. First emerging with an apocalyptic mix of gut-wrenching bass, splintered R&B, and skewed electronics, Lotic’s recent full-length debut ‘Power’ sees them stretch their wings into unexpected new spaces, both compositionally, and, for the first time, vocally. At Rewire 2019, Lotic transforms the album into an ambitious new audiovisual collaboration with visual artist Emmanuel Biard. Co-produced by Rewire, ‘Endless Power’ explores the many ways in which power can be expressed and experienced.
→ https://www.youtube.com/embed/v3HpvxUyQ5Q
Saturday, 30 March – Paard II
Known for his groundbreaking video works for the likes of Björk, FKA Twigs and Arca, Japanese-Canadian visual artist Jesse Kanda recently expanded his artistic practice into the realms of electronic music as Doon Kanda. Debuting with ‘Heart’ in 2017 and following it with ‘Luna’ a year later, both of which were released by Hyperdub, Kanda explores a hallucinatory sonic palette that ushers you deep into his idiosyncratic, techno-spiritual world. At Rewire 2019, he presents a rare live performance composed of new work as well as material from his recent EPs.
→ https://www.youtube.com/embed/lPHHGuU3SKc
Saturday, 30 March – Korzo (zaal)
The work of Elaine Mitchener spans a wealth of artistic contexts and disciplines. Rooted in improvisation, contemporary music theatre and performance art, the British-born vocalist, movement artist and composer performs her celebrated movement opera ‘Of Leonardo da Vinci’ at Rewire 2019. Exploring the universality of death and rebirth, ‘Of Leonardo da Vinci’ melds vocal improvisation, sound art, image and movement into a singular artistic expression. Starring Mitchener in a leading role, the performance is directed by Dam van Huynh, and features music by David Toop and a film by Barry Lewis.
→ https://player.vimeo.com/video/144426808
Sunday, 31 March – Korzo (studio)
From his early explorations of minimal club music to his critically-acclaimed experiments in algorithmic systems and computational technology, Mark Fell has carved out a legacy at the frontlines of electronic music innovation that is distinctly his own. At Rewire 2019, the pioneering British electronic musician will present ‘Hominin’, anew piece for electronic music, light, kinetic objects and human movement that constructs and investigates procedural relationships between technical and non-technical elements.
Sunday, 31 March – Korzo (club)
Technological and cultural change has continually challenged audiences to reconsider what music is and how it can – or should – be presented to listeners. In this keynote, musicologist and critic Adam Harper will explore how instruments have been uncoupled from physical co-presence and bodily effort and what effect this has had as to what a ‘concert’ could be, in particular seeing an emerging idea of ‘live’ music as a defence against the ‘dead’ music of recordings. Now that sampling, DJing, and laptops are commonplace throughout musical cultures, this talk will investigate what does it mean to be ‘live’ today? Where do fears over the loss of liveness and the inauthenticity of technological mediation come from, how justified are they, and can they be addressed?
Saturday, 30 March – Korzo (club)
Ahead of their new project with Emmanuel Biard, a visual artist well-known in electronic music circles thanks to his involvement with London’s Fabric, as well as collaborations with Evian Christ and Koreless, Lotic joins us for a conversation on staging sound and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Saturday, 30 March – Korzo
As a music festival, we are constantly working alongside artists as they evolve their practice, develop new works and build changing environments. With this panel, we sit down with three artists with different creative backgrounds and experiences to consider the performative nature of music and the ways in which artists are choosing to express their work, be it alone or in collaboration. For this panel, we invite artists who move beyond the sonic; vocal performance artist Elaine Mitchener, pioneering electronic musician and sound artist Mark Fell and DJ and producer Sega Bodega, each of whom will be presenting a new and unique performance piece at Rewire 2019.