Here’s something to get you through the descent into winter. The Attenborough Centre has recently announced their Autumn programme and their contemporary music offering this November is as irresistible as ever.
First up on Saturday 2nd comes Colleen (aka Cécile Schott) the eminent and illustrious French ambient/experimental musician. From her ground-breaking 2003 debut album ‘Everyone Alive Wants Answers’ to last year’s synthesiser rich ‘Le jour et la nuit du reel ’ Colleen has become renowned as the maker of electronic music which thrives on beauty and invention. Support on the night comes from Brighton’s own mercurial sound-artist Johanna Bramli.
Then on the 14th there’s a unique chance to catch the seminal LA art rock band Xiu Xiu. Revolving around the duo of founder Jamie Stewart and, since 2009, Angela Seo, this group consistently make the music of extremes and after two decades remain at the cutting edge of avant-pop . I Am Fya, the dynamic experimental performer, returns to the ACCA stage to open the show.
The next day, Friday 15th, as part of the CINECITY 2024 season, sonic sculptor Robin Rimbaud, perhaps best known for his work as the illusive Scanner, will perform a live soundtrack to two films by the late, great US polymath, cultural documentarian and beat generation luminary Harry Smith. It’s part of the Harry Smith Archives celebrations marking the centenary of his birth, so a significant event.
Onto the 19th and there comes a change of pace and dynamic. Emerging hyperpop meets afrobeat star Moonchild Sanelly brings her giddy mix of Gqom, nu-soul and grime (or ‘future-ghetto-funk’ as she calls it) to Falmer. Think gloss, glam, moves and hi-energy. For starters producer and dance-popster Paige Kennedy will bring those infectious hooks and fizzing synth driven tunes.
As a fitting finale to the season on Saturday 30th, Orkney composer, multi-instrumentalist and musical geographer Erland Cooper performs music from his passionate and profound ‘Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence’ project. In 2021 he buried the master tapes and score of a new composition on his home soil and released only clues about its resting place. Post discovery in late 2022 the artefacts were exhibited around indie record shops and the work was first performed live at the Barbican in June. In Cooper’s words the evening’s music celebrates “patience, time and value” so prepare to give time and listen.
Attenborough Centre for Creative Arts, November 2nd ,14th, 15th, 19th and 30th 2024.
For more information and tickets for the shows head to the ACCA website HERE