XIU XIU / LARSEN, also known as XXL, is a billowing collaborative project formed by American avant-pop band XIU XIU and Italian experimentalists LARSEN. Xiu Xiu and Larsen, each aware and vaguely admiring of the other, met at a Jarboe show, exchanged records, vowed to stay in touch, and become so mutually enthralled that they record an album together. They met up in Torino without much of a plan and immerse themselves in the studio with trad rock instruments plus a bunch of theremins and glockenspiels. They jam intensely around sketched-out song structures and sequence the most realized bits as an album, an ephemeral and fractured thing that mirrors its mode of creation. Since then, XXL have released two albums on Important Records, called “¡Ciaütistico!”, “¿Spicchiology?”, whilst July see Tin Angel release the group's third album “Düde.

XIU XIU

XIU XIU is the creation of singer/songwriter Jamie Stewart, who for the last 10 years has hurled a succession of relentlessly uncompromising records to a cult of devotees that values intensely emotional honesty and genuinely challenging originality above all else. Evolving from obsessions with modern classical percussion and orchestration, experimental electronics, a life long dedication to post-punk and the dance floor, Xiu Xiu’s sound is, to say the very least, utterly distinctive and compelling. February saw Bella Union release Xiu Xiu's highly regarded new album 'ALWAYS' to rapturous acclaim.

http://xiuxiu.org/

LARSEN

LARSEN, from Torino, Italy, have in 15 years of activity released 13 full length albums, 2 eps, 2 dvds, received much press on both sides of the Atlantic, including the Wire and performed all over the world (both as headliner or sharing the bill with people like Neurosis and Einstuerzende Neubauten among others). Collaborations (in studio and/or on stage) with such artists as Michael Gira, Matmos, Martin Bisi, Matt Howden, Lustmord, Deathprod, Origami Galaktika, Backworld, Jarboe, Nurse With Wound, Little Annie, Fovea Hex, z'ev and sci-fi icon Christine Schell plus the project- a band in itself- XXL (aka Xiu Xiu + Larsen) as well as Larsen and Friends (along with David Tibet and Baby Dee of Current 93 plus Julia Kent and Johann Johannsson) also stand out on their record. Larsen members also run their own projects (Mannypol, ( r ), Blind Cave Salamander…) and/or play solo as well as with other musicians. Larsen has also released soundtracks, both for movies and theatre plays, including the award winner Cartoanimalettimatti.

http://www.myspace.com/larsentoit

HEX ON THE BEACH

HEX ON THE BEACH are a guitar, bass and drum trio from Melbourne, Australia offering up heavy occult riffage, coupled to creeping, tumbling drums, laced with haunted vocals and chanting. Founding member Maya-Victoria Kjellstrand has also graced a number of other all female noise / punk workouts, including Polly Shang Kuan Band, Back Stabbath and Leopard Leg and decided with HOTB to pursue more mesmeric, tropical gothic tendencies.

http://hexonthebeach.bandcamp.com/

MUH HE CON

MUH HE CON is Alex John Myers, an electronic instrument collector turned musician. After being in several bands and projects he eventually arrived at Muh-he-con. A collage of loops/glitch/reverb/delay/synth tones Muh-he-con is about creating tone and atmosphere amongst shifting rhythms and patterns to create lush drones. A recent Engineering graduate, Myers has been fascinated by sound and electronics at an early age; Muh-he-con is a journey through his childhood of 80's synths, Nintendos and Airwolf.

http://muh-he-con.bandcamp.com/