The best of 2021
Festival returns, remotely recorded albums, music highlighting local identity. My summary of 2021 in a few conclusions, 21 albums, 10 compilations and 10 songs.
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The best (Patrick Shiroishi) records of 2021
From lyrical minimalism and soft melodies to black metal, free music and the landscape of everyday rituals. I have chosen five most interesting records released last year by Patrick Shiroishi – one of the most active musicians of 2021.
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Sourdure: living tradition, not a museum
– A lot of stuff is melted together but in the music of La Nòvia, Cocanha, even in my music there’s this idea of doing actually traditional music, living traditional music. I think it’s because we are a generation that wasn’t cut off from traditional culture. It’s not about making a museum, it’s about putting a lot of yourself into it – says Ernest Bergez, composer, vocalist and creator of the Sourdure, Kaumwald, Tanz Mein Herz and Orgue Agnès.
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Tell me your story. Le Guess Who? 2021
As one of the few festivals organised in a pandemic, Le Guess Who? ends up a winner in these troubled times. Organisationally efficient, with a varied programme, and it positively disenchants how a festival can be understood today.
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9 greats: futurism, free, site-specific, minimalism and songs
Futuristic sounds, sound sculpture, songs for quartet, unobvious percussion performances or electronics played on the piano. Here are 9 albums on which jazz is theoretically the starting point, but which lead into original compositional areas.
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Music from water tanks and an empty bridge
In finding spaces with unobvious acoustic properties, the Germans seem to have no equals. I write shortly about three albums, recorded in unusual circumstances.
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10 reasons for Le Guess Who?
After many years of trying, I will finally be able to visit the Le Guess Who? festival, which will take place in Utrecht. Here are the 10 concerts I’m most looking forward to between 11 and 14 November.
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Unsound: 5 premieres I can’t wait
After a year off, the Unsound festival is back in real form, under the banner of ‘deep authenticity’. Here are 5 premieres I’ll be going to Unsound for.
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Underwater Berlin
The sound in a space with unusual acoustic properties and the way its perception changes – these are the two things I will remember most from Speicher V, which took place in Berlin’s water reservoir.
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The French Revelation
Regional traditions, songs, field recordings, dark drones, and psychedelia – the French scene is in bloom. Join me for a run-through of the most interesting musical gems from France.
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