a l'arme! festival vol. iv

Now in it’s fourth edition the A L’ARME! Festival invites you to be part of a metaphysical journey to our inner self! The guiding theme of INNER LANDSCAPES & UNKNOWN CHAMBERS lends itself as a potent metaphor for almost every emotional state, wheth-er it be joy, curiosity, pain, desire, awe, the sublime or simply as a space where we search for a sense of dejà-vu and ultimately, beauty... In our perception of the sensitive and sentient individual, the severe natural phenome-na and outer landscapes such as the desert, wilderness, mountains and ocean with their magnificent panoramas often create a polarizing reflection on the fragility and smallness of humankind in the face of this, the duality of the infinite both of an exterior world and a world within.

Let us consider a realm where musical composition and performance is created in an imaginary space in which we can indulge an affection for music/ sound - one without any tangible or practical purpose – to find a space within this space in-between. Here in this playground of the immeasurable we are consumed by the intensity of this given perceptive space. Here we become free to engage with/in the cognitive processes caused by sound connecting the infinite dimensions and reach of the music, the sound, the space and the body.

Within the frame of contemporary experimental music, A L’ARME! VOL. IV has focused on a theme which addresses the creative artistic construction of these imaginary

spaces with the notion of creating a topography of these areas of perception in which ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ events are no longer clearly defined. These could be called liminal interstices, dominated by ambivalence, contradiction or a kind of radicalization of binary oppositions of the tangible and the ephemeral.

These are the UNKNOWN CHAMBERS in which no definition of “either/or” exists, but rather prevail within a connected coexistence. Mental divisions, transformations and transitions are executed playfully and symbolically in a sense reflecting the notion of a kind of 'rite of passage' - to be living between realms in this space of the improbable - and to explore this rare state, its transition and flux exposed.

So what does it mean for a festival embarking on an expedition along such treshhold? For what promises to be something of a powerful and intense opening night hosted in the renowned Berlin venue Berghain on the wednesday up until a long emersive Satur-day night at Radialsystem V, when those themes and ideas of INNER LANDSCAPES will be represented and shared by 50 state-of-the-art musicians from three continents.

From incendiary group free-improvisation to contemplative deep-listening and multime-dia performances from world renowned groups and solo acts along with a number of exclusive collaborations between some extraordinary singers and vocal virtuosos, per-forming in English, German and French to experience a vital and relevant voice of free-dom. The festival will thoroughly explore the expansive fields of music and sound-scapes - encompassing what we call avant-garde jazz, free improvisation, psychedel-ic-folk, drone, dark ambient, avant-garde pop and noise. While diving into the percep-tive realms of dream-states and fantasy these sonic encounters make such genres or tags seem meaningless.

A L’ARME! VOL. IV promises to be a challenging experience for musical pilgrims of experimental sound and senses.

A L'ARME! Festival — Rastig & Mertin GbR — Prenzlauer Allee, 201 — 10405 Berlin

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A L‘ARME! FESTIVAL VOL. IV —INNER LANDSCAPES & UNKNOWN CHAMBERS

27 – 30 JULI 2016 BERGHAIN BERLIN & RADIALSYSTEM V

PRESS RELEASE

BERGHAIN BERLINAm Wriezener Bahnhof10243 Berlin (S-Ostbahnhof)

RADIALSYSTEM VHolzmarktstr. 3310243 Berlin (S-Ostbahnhof)

— FESTIVAL PASSES & TICKETS

Day pass: € 25 (reduced) / € 32 Combined ticket for three days at Radialsystem: € 70 (reduced) / € 80Premium ticket for four days Festival: € 80 (reduced) / € 100

Opening hours ticket office:Tue - Fri from 10am to 7pm, Sat and Sun from 12 to 7pm, as well as 1 hour before the event.

Ticket hotline: 030 - 288 788 588 or at www.radialsystem.de

www.alarmefestival.dewww.berghain.dewww.facebook.com/alarmefestival

— LINE-UP OVERVIEW

ANNA HÖGBERG ATTACK! (SE) BUTCHER/BAUER/MEYER (GB/CH/DE)FIRE! & OREN AMBARCHI (SE/AT/AU)FOVEA HEX (IE)FRANCOIS TESTORY (FR)JOE MCPHEE (US)LANIAKEA FEAT. MASSIMO PUPILLO & DANIEL O'SULLIVAN (IT/GB)LUFT FEAT. MATS GUSTAFSSON & ERWAN KERAVEC (SE/AT/FR)MIEKO SUZUKI (JP/DE)MOHAMMAD (GR)PETER BRÖTZMANN/HEATHER LEIGH (DE/GB/US)SARAH NEUFELD (CA)SEVAL FEAT. FRED LONBERG-HOLM & SOFIA JERNBERG (US/SE)THE GREAT HANS UNSTERN SWINDLE (DE/BE)TRANSFER FEAT. ANDY MOOR & ANNE-JAMES CHATON (NL/GB/FR/AU)TRONDHEIM JAZZ ORCHESTRA & KRISTOFFER LO (NO/DK)YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN (IL/DE)U.V.M.

An event by Louis Rastig und Karina Mertin (ABOUTNOW). In cooperation with MOTE Studio, RADIALSYSTEM V and BERGHAIN BERLIN. Funded by Hauptstadtkulturfonds.

Artistic direction: Louis RastigConcept & project management: Karina Mertin (ABOUTNOW)Design & PR: MOTE Studio (Davide Luciani, Fabio Perletta, Daniel Cupic, Marco Portello)









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A L‘ARME! FESTIVAL VOL. IV — INNER LANDSCAPED & UNKNOWN CHAMBERS — BERLIN — ALARMEFESTIVAL.DE































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— WEDNESDAY 27.07.2016, 19:00BERGHAIN BERLIN

With Sarah Neufeld, Laniakea, Fire! & Oren Ambarchi and many more

Doors: 19:00 / Start: 19:00 / Entrance 18+ only!

SET 1: SOLO

SARAH NEUFELD (CA) — violin, vocals

SET 2: LANIAKEA

DANIEL O‘SULLIVAN (UK) — voice, electronicsMASSIMO PUPILLO (IT) — electric bassFRANCOIS TESTORY (FR) — voiceECHO COLLECTIVE (GB) — string players

SET 3: FIRE! & OREN AMBARCHI

MATS GUSTAFSSON (SE/AT) — saxophonesJOHAN BERTHLING (SE) — electric bassANDREAS WERLIIN (SE) — drumsOREN AMBARCHI (AU) — electric guitar, electronics

ON DECKS:

MIEKO SUZUKI (JP/Berlin) — records, sound design

Laniakea is home. A reflection of our galactic supercluster, Daniel O'Sullivan (Ulver, Grumbling Fur, Æthenor, Mothlite) and Massimo Pupillo (Zu) invoke eternal vibrations devoted to living spirit in perpetual becoming. Cosmic hymns and atomised riffs slowed and stretched to unveil a pantheon of sound in particle form. Drawing on a rich tapestry of influences ranging from the plainchant of Hildegard von Bingen to Alice Coltrane's vedantic tapes to the monolithic bass frequencies of Godflesh. Laniakea investigates the micro and the macro in hermetic ubiquity. As above so below.Recorded at 147 Tower Gardens former home to gentleman satyr and Coil affiliate Ian Johnstone (and former residence of DOS), this music was conceived soon after Ian's untimely passing. An exercise in how to transform grief into grace. How to allow grace to transform space. How space can transmit information and be transformed in sound. A space so charged with life and energy and art and magick that only the physical presence of two vessels were needed to manipulate a variety of instruments and the

atmosphere provided all the rest. Daniel was custodian of the suburban dwelling in which Ian Johnstone poured enormous love and energy. Clad in dark stained wood, a dense menagerie of power amulets and the sidereal painting of Austin Osman Spare, Ian shared his home with the late Jhonn Balance of Coil up until his death in 2004. In the process of packing an immense cabinet of curiosities into cardboard boxes, Daniel was visited by his friend Massimo (now resident of the Peruvian jungle and student of shamanic power plants) and in the midst of a great grief sounds began to flow with little discussion. Only to celebrate the artistic and human heritage of dearly departed friends through music. Hence Laniakea was born. And started sailing home.LANIAKEA will be joined by special guests François Testory (who used to perform live with Coil) on vocalsand with live strings from Echo Collective (Stars Of The Lid and A Winged Victory For The Sullen).The Echo Collective collaborates on and produces music that bridges classical and non-classical genres. Bringing new audiences to all kinds of music.

http://houseofmythology.com/

Listen to the album here: https://laniakea.bandcamp.com

MIEKO SUZUKI (KOOKOO)Working for over 15 years, Mieko Suzuki is a Japanese DJ and sound artist who has been based in Berlin since 2007. Grounded in hauling deep bass, Mieko's sets create a constant tension between the delicate, the raw and the daring. Folding together and finding connections between the subtle textures and qualities of different genres, Mieko's experimental approach always gives careful attention to the space and to the people. Noise and warm ambience, rhythm and industrial resonance are improvised together to submerge you in a big adventure of electronic sound.

https://soundcloud.com/mieko http://www.miekosuzuki.net

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— WEDNESDAY 27.07.2016, 19:00BERGHAIN BERLIN

With Sarah Neufeld, Laniakea, Fire! & Oren Ambarchi and many more

Doors: 19:00 / Start: 19:00 / Entrance 18+ only!

SET 1: SOLO

SARAH NEUFELD (CA) — violin, vocals

SET 2: LANIAKEA

DANIEL O‘SULLIVAN (UK) — voice, electronicsMASSIMO PUPILLO (IT) — electric bassFRANCOIS TESTORY (FR) — voiceECHO COLLECTIVE (GB) — string players

SET 3: FIRE! & OREN AMBARCHI

MATS GUSTAFSSON (SE/AT) — saxophonesJOHAN BERTHLING (SE) — electric bassANDREAS WERLIIN (SE) — drumsOREN AMBARCHI (AU) — electric guitar, electronics

ON DECKS:

MIEKO SUZUKI (JP/Berlin) — records, sound design

Laniakea is home. A reflection of our galactic supercluster, Daniel O'Sullivan (Ulver, Grumbling Fur, Æthenor, Mothlite) and Massimo Pupillo (Zu) invoke eternal vibrations devoted to living spirit in perpetual becoming. Cosmic hymns and atomised riffs slowed and stretched to unveil a pantheon of sound in particle form. Drawing on a rich tapestry of influences ranging from the plainchant of Hildegard von Bingen to Alice Coltrane's vedantic tapes to the monolithic bass frequencies of Godflesh. Laniakea investigates the micro and the macro in hermetic ubiquity. As above so below.Recorded at 147 Tower Gardens former home to gentleman satyr and Coil affiliate Ian Johnstone (and former residence of DOS), this music was conceived soon after Ian's untimely passing. An exercise in how to transform grief into grace. How to allow grace to transform space. How space can transmit information and be transformed in sound. A space so charged with life and energy and art and magick that only the physical presence of two vessels were needed to manipulate a variety of instruments and the

atmosphere provided all the rest. Daniel was custodian of the suburban dwelling in which Ian Johnstone poured enormous love and energy. Clad in dark stained wood, a dense menagerie of power amulets and the sidereal painting of Austin Osman Spare, Ian shared his home with the late Jhonn Balance of Coil up until his death in 2004. In the process of packing an immense cabinet of curiosities into cardboard boxes, Daniel was visited by his friend Massimo (now resident of the Peruvian jungle and student of shamanic power plants) and in the midst of a great grief sounds began to flow with little discussion. Only to celebrate the artistic and human heritage of dearly departed friends through music. Hence Laniakea was born. And started sailing home.LANIAKEA will be joined by special guests François Testory (who used to perform live with Coil) on vocalsand with live strings from Echo Collective (Stars Of The Lid and A Winged Victory For The Sullen).The Echo Collective collaborates on and produces music that bridges classical and non-classical genres. Bringing new audiences to all kinds of music.

http://houseofmythology.com/

Listen to the album here: https://laniakea.bandcamp.com

MIEKO SUZUKI (KOOKOO)Working for over 15 years, Mieko Suzuki is a Japanese DJ and sound artist who has been based in Berlin since 2007. Grounded in hauling deep bass, Mieko's sets create a constant tension between the delicate, the raw and the daring. Folding together and finding connections between the subtle textures and qualities of different genres, Mieko's experimental approach always gives careful attention to the space and to the people. Noise and warm ambience, rhythm and industrial resonance are improvised together to submerge you in a big adventure of electronic sound.

https://soundcloud.com/mieko http://www.miekosuzuki.net

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— THURSDAY 28.07.2016, 20:00RADIALSYSTEM V

With Mohammad, Mats Gustafsson, Erwan Keravec, Transfer and many more

Doors: 18:00 – A L'ARME! Slow Food BBQ by PIECHAS (river side)Concerts start: 20:00

SET 1 @ HALLE: MOHAMMAD

ILIOS (GR) — oscillatorsNIKOS VELIOTIS (GR) — electric cello

SET 2 @ HALLE: LUFT

MATS GUSTAFSSON (SE/AT) — saxophones, flutophoneERWAN KERAVEC (FR) — bagpipes

+ direct

SET 3 @ HAALE: TRANSFER

ANDY MOOR (GB/NE) — electric guitarANNE-JAMES CHATON (FR) — voiceROY PACI (IT) — trumpetJOE WILLIAMSON (CA) — double-bassGOERGE HADOW (GB/NL) — drums+ Visuals by Iranian filmmaker BANI KHOSHNOUDI

Mohammad [Antifrost, PAN] have been forging their deep monolithic sound for the past 6 years, bringing together low frequencies, inter-modulations, dark textures, and distant folk nuances through custom made instruments and software. Prolific in their output with 6 releases to date, their sonic arsenal is equally deployed live, a ceremonial experience in physical sound [quoted by some as ‘Chamber Doom”] that evokes a wide emotional palette.

“Mohammad’s set-up is, to say the least, unconventional. Sterling stuff … ” — FACT Mag

“ More than just the trio’s name conjures a sense of religiosity: their melodies evoke liturgical chanting”— The Wire

“Certain projects appear to be born in heaven… Mohammad is one of them” — Touching Extremes

“You breathe it in like vaporized anesthetic and pray that it will never end.” — Tiny Mix Tapes

http://mohammad.gr/

https://vimeo.com/51703465https://vimeo.com/129024081https://vimeo.com/98311996https://youtu.be/3lCY3kj4w-A (live)

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— FRIDAY 29.07.2016, 20:00RADIALSYSTEM V

With Hans Unstern, Joe McPhee, Sofia Jernberg, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and many more

Doors: 18:00 A L'ARME! Slow Food BBQ by PIECHAS (river side)Concerts start: 20:00

SET 1 @ HALLE: THE GREAT HANS UNSTERN SWINDLE

HANS UNSTERN (Berlin) — vocals, electric guitar, harpsSIMON BAUER (Berlin) — double-bass, harpsTUCKÉ ROYALE (Berlin) — vocals, electric guitar, percussionDANIEL SCHRÖTELER (Berlin) — drums, harpsPAULINE BOEYKENS (Berlin) — sousaphoneELS VANDEWEYER (BE/Berlin) — vibraphone

SET 2 + 3 @ SAAL: MCPHEE/MARHAUG/NILSSEN-LOVE

JOE MCPHEE (US) — reeds, pocket trumpetLASSE MARHAUG (NO) — electronicsPAAL NILSSEN-LOVE (NO) — drums

SET 2 + 3 @ STUDIO A: SEVAL

SOFIA JERNBERG (SE) — vocalsFRED LONBERG-HOLM (US) — celloDAVID STACKENÄS (SE) — guitarEMIL STRANDBERG (SE) — cornetPATRIC THORMAN (SE) — double-bass

SET 4 @ HALLE: TRONDHEIM JAZZ ORCHESTRA & KRISTOFFER LO

INGRID HELENE HÅVIK (NO) — vocalsKARI ESKILD HAVENSTRØM (NO) — vocalsEIRIK HEGDAL (NO) — saxophones and clarinetsANDRÉ ROLIGHETEN (NO) — saxophones and clarinetsMETTE RASMUSSEN (DK/NO) — alto saxophoneTHOMAS JOHANSSON (NO) — trumpetERIK JOHANNESSEN (NO) — trombonePETTER VÅGAN (NO) — guitar and vocalsOLA KVERNBERG (NO) — violin and violaTOMAS JÄRMYR (SE/NO) — drumsPEKKA STOKKE (NO) — live visualsTOR BREIVIK (NO) — live soundKRISTOFFER LO (NO) — tuba, guitar, flugabone, vocals and music

— SATURDAY 30.07.2016, 20:00RADIALSYSTEM V

With Yair Elazar Glotman, Peter Brötzmann, Heather Leigh, John Butcher, Anna Högberg Attack! and many more

Doors: 18:00 A L'ARME! Slow Food BBQ by PIECHAS (river side)Concerts start: 20:00

SET 1 @ HALLE: SOLO

YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN (IS/Berlin) — double-bass, electronics

SET 2 @ HALLE: BRÖTZMANN/LEIGH

PETER BRÖTZMANN (DE) — reedsHEATHER LEIGH (GB/US) — pedal steel guitar

SET 3 + 4 @ SAAL: ANNA HÖGBERG ATTACK!

ANNA HÖGBERG (SE) — baritone saxELSA BERGMANN (SE) — double-bassELIN LARSSON (SE) — tenor saxMALIN WÄTTRING (SE) — tenor saxLISA ULLÉN (SE) — pianoANNA LUND (SE) — drums

SET 3 + 4 @ STUDIO A: MEYER/BAUER/BUTCHER

SABINA MEYER (CH/IT) — voiceJOHN BUTCHER (GB) — tenor saxophoneMATTHIAS BAUER (Berlin) — doublebass

SET 5 @ HALLE: FOVEA HEX (IE)

CLODAGH SIMONDS (IE) — vocals, keyboard, piano, harmoniumLAURA SHEERAN (IE) — vocals, various instrumentsKATE ELLIS (IE) — celloCORA VENUS LUNNY (IE) — vocals, violaMICHAEL BEGG (UK) — electronics, keyboardCOLIN POTTER (UK) — mix, electronics

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ab Mitternacht A L‘ARME! AFTER SHOW

ON DECKS:

MIEKO SUZUKI (JP/Berlin) — records, electronicsDAVIDE LUCIANI / MOTE Studio (IT/Berlin) — electronics

YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN (also known by his Ketev alias) is a Berlin-based sound artist and interdisciplinary experimentalist focusing on electroacoustic composition, sound installations and sculptures. Yair’s sonic world produced under his own name stretches between icy and melancholic layers of sharp drone waves to haunting acoustic experimentation exploring the variety of resonance transmitted by a contrabass. His compositions are currently concerned with analog tape loops, electronics and, most importantly, contrabass – an instrument in which he is classically trained. For A L´ARME! Vol IV he interrogates his chosen instrument, drawing out its hidden resonances, physical vibrations, and exploring the uncharted territory of the instrument’s acoustic dynamic range. Creating a separation between action and outcome, he escapes learned restraint, abandons former training, and develops a method by which concentration and control are translated into a visceral interaction with the bass, uncovering hidden sounds and building an expansive and dynamic sonic palette for the contrabass, beyond the confines of classical virtuosity.

FOVEA HEX continue to be one of the most intriguing phenomena in contemporary music. Clodagh Simonds visionary ensemble has developed an enviable cult status both in Europe and the United States, have performed at the personal invitation of David Lynch in the gardens of the Cartier Foundation in Paris and have attracted the free and willing participation of a genre and generation hopping rollcall of A-list luminaries including Brian Eno, Robert Fripp, Carter Burwell, Donal Lunny, and Steven Wilson, as well as a who's who of the electronic avant-garde including Roger Doyle, the Hafler Trio, William Basinski, Colin Potter and Michael Begg.

The frequently claimed "impossible to categorise" tag applies well to Fovea Hex. The songs are dominated by a voice that's too strong to be deigned ethereal, but remains too otherworldly to file alongside more conventional female singer-songwriters. As Drew Daniels of Matmos observed "The starlit nocturnes of Fovea Hex bind electronics, drones and voices into song-spells that are untimely in the best possible sense; their intimacy and raw emotional power feel centuries old, but the experimental sound-design can be shockingly modern."

The shape-shifting nature of Fovea Hex has seen the ensemble assume a variety of performance formats. A L’Arme constitutes a rare opportunity to experience the full ensemble: Clodagh Simonds (voice, keyboard, harmonium), Michael Begg (electronics, keyboard), Colin Potter (mix, electronics), Laura Sheeran (voice, various instruments), Cora Venus Lunny (viola) and Kate Ellis (cello).

»Some of the most extraordinary songs i've heard in years« (Brian Eno)

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»One of the most hauntingly lovely discoveries of this or any other century thus far« (Neil Cooper, The List)

»If Emily Dickinson had ever been allowed to make a record, this is probably what it would have sounded like« (The Wire)

http://www.janetrecords.com/2015/index.html

~

The A L´ARME! AFTER SHOW ritual will continue with hypnotic sounds by MIEKO SUZUKI and DAVIDE LUCIANI of MOTE Studio.

https://soundcloud.com/mieko http://www.motestudio.net/https://soundcloud.com/lucianidavide

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FESTIVAL CONTACT

Artistic DirectorLouis Rastig— [email protected]

Concept planning / Project managementKarina Mertin (ABOUTNOW)— [email protected]

PRESS & MEDIA CONTACT

— [email protected]

PARTNER

Gefördert durch:Hauptstadtkulturfonds

In Kooperation mit:Berghain, Radialsystem V, MOTE Studio

a l'arme! festival vol. iv

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