Mystery Plays Records presents an exclusive one-off live performance from electronics and dub pioneer Burnt Friedman. Plus support from improv trio Fiium Shaarrk and Inch-time.

BURNT FRIEDMAN (SOLO)

After studying art, Bernd Friedmann decided in the late 1980s to pursue his creative ideas exclusively over the medium of music. He attended the Academy of Media Arts Cologne as a postgraduate guest student, and subsequently began to publish the audio repertoire built up since 1979 along with current studio productions. His productions as Nonplace Urban Field, Flanger or Drome were noticed by the Cologne electronic music scene in the 1990s, and roused even more attention at international level.

His output is characterized by a series of collaborative projects with names like Atom™, Jaki Liebezeit, Hayden Chisholm, Root70, Spacek, Patrice, Pivot, Mark Ernestus, Nine Horses, Steve Jansen and David Sylvian. In 2000 Friedmann launched his own label Nonplace, with 34 releases to date. Working under the name Burnt Friedman and aiming to address widespread prejudices about the authenticity of programmed music and the role of the artist, he has developed ironical, true-to-detail “reality constructions” that overturn western notions of original and forgery as well as the concept of “authenticity”. His studio and on-stage partnership with Jaki Liebezeit now dates back twelve years; the two musicians have released 4 albums under the project title Secret Rhythms, developing pioneering electronic-acoustic ritual music that employs uneven rhythms.



FIIUM SHAARRK

Fiium Shaarrk is a new trio, uniting the formidable skills and the improbably diverse backgrounds of Rudi Fischerlehner (drums) Maurizio Ravalico (percussion) and Isambard Khroustaliov (electronics). Alternating freely between a jigsaw of unquantised proto-dance grooves, the luxuriant austerity of 20th century composed percussion music and the fertile landscape of live electronics, Fiium Shaarrk’s music is at once visceral, cerebral and visionary; at times joyfully naive and at others virtuosic and painstakingly scientific.

Fiium Shaarrk draw freely from a diverse array of past musical influences; from Tortoise to King Crimson, Max Roach to Napalm Death, Autechre to Xenakis and Dubstep to Maracatu. However, their unreasonably unassuming explorative music is most unquestionably addressed to the men and women of today. No Fiction Now! is Fiium Shaarrk’s debut album, out now via Not Applicable.

Fiium Shaarrk - Wozzeck's Variations from not applicable on Vimeo.

INCH-TIME (DUO)

Inch-time performs live electronics with Alex Bonney (trumpet).

Since releasing his earliest records back in 2003, Stefan Panczak, aka Inch-time, has quietly forged an irrepressible niche which has taken on a life of its own. His subtle melding of gleaming electronica and a whole host of other ingredients – from dub to folk textures, and languid jazz stylings to post-rock atmospheres – has evolved to take in new elements while sticking to the unique approach which Panczak has made his signature since his debut album, 2005’s Any Colour You Like.

Myth and Impermanence, the fourth Inch-time album, finds Panczak discovering new musical Worlds. Leaving behind his purely electronic studio, he set up a studio in East London to focus on using mainly real-world instruments. After developing the initial song foundations he worked closely with three jazz musicians – Panczak explains, “I had the musicians play over the existing tracks, writing some melodies and motifs for them to play. I also had them freely improvise. I took all these recordings and used them as samples, either placing them as intended in the original recordings or re-appropriating them into other songs to create new and unexpected re-contextualisations. The music itself was strongly influenced by 70’s esoteric jazz, artists such as Alice Coltrane, Don Cherry, Jack DeJohnette and Joe Henderson.”

“Perfectly poised, sparkling and seductive electronica that’s as subtle and beautiful as it is impossible to resist.” DJ Magazine







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