OUTLANDS
PRESENTS: ENSÕ SONE - IMPATV &
QUJAKU
With special guests group A (presenting a new AV set)
OUTLANDS experimental music touring network present an original audio-visual collaboration between
Japanese psych band Qujaku and UK
visual artists IMPATV.
Developed during a residency in Japan in June 2019, this new production explores ideas of
duality. Sound triggers light that in
turn creates form via an amalgam of heavy, rhythmic ambience combined with
visual projections, lighting and stage design.
The resulting union will unfurl as an expansive spectacle to stimulate
the senses.
Special guests group A open each night of the tour
with a spectacular new AV set.
Ensō - a circular symbol hand-drawn in one or
two uninhibited brushstrokes to express a moment when the mind is free to let
the body create.
Sone - a unit of loudness; how loud a sound
is perceived.
Ensō Sone expresses a freedom to create loudness, which marks the starting point
for this exciting new collaboration. Further ideas from Japanese Zen practice; of oneness, natural opposites
and equilibrium, the spirit of harmonious cooperation, the visible and the
invisible, absolute fullness in emptiness, simplicity, completeness, and
endlessness are explored.
The tour
includes special guests electronic, industrial act group A (now the solo project of Tommi Tokyo) who in turn
collaborate with Berlin based visual artist DEAD SLOW AHEAD on a new multi-dimensional video universe, opening
the gate to the inside-self, mixing slow ethereal abstract sounds with
mind-shattering stroboscopic video pulsations, designed to challenge the
observers’ expectations of AV work.
As with all OUTLANDS tours, there will be an
accompanying workshop to shine a light on the artistic processes behind the
production. IMPATV will host an
experimental video workshop prior to the ENSÕ SONE shows, exploring some of the techniques they
use to create their videos and visual work, using a variety of new and outdated
technologies. Participants will have their own experimental video work to take
away with them. For
more info.
OUTLANDS
TOUR #6 DATES:
Wed 6th Nov - Birmingham - Hare & Hounds
Thu 7th Nov - Milton Keynes Gallery
Fri 8th Nov - London - Corsica Studios
Sat 9th Nov - Cambridge Junction
Sun 10th Nov - Bexhill - De La Warr Pavilion
Mon 11th Nov - Bristol - Cube Cinema
Tue 12th Nov - Plymouth - KARST
Wed 13th Nov - Manchester - Fairfield Social
Club
Thu 14th Nov - Bradford - Fuse
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
(photo credit Hajime Kato, hi res version available here)
QUJAKU
Formed in 2013, QUJAKU are a Japanese heavy
psychedelic rock band based in Shizuoka. Their dark, heavy psychedelia is
replete with rich distortion and feedback creating a unique decadent ambience.
The apocalyptic sound they muster fuels an urge to release from the everyday to
discover an ephemeral beauty behind the fierceness. The delicate yet strong
leading voice, filled with destructive guitar, repetitive rhythmic percussion,
and deep, bellowing bass combine to create Qujaku's unique sound atmosphere to
preoccupy the mind and enhance the experience.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/qujaku_info
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qujaku_jpn/
Website: http://www.qujaku.com/home/
IMPATV
IMPATV is a collaborative video and stage
production project from UK artists Isadora Darke and Jamie Robinson. Using new
digital technologies and live mixing methods combined with costumes and stage
design they produce immersive installations, music videos, live streaming, and
art and music productions across the realms of DIY, experimental and
underground culture.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/impa_tv
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impatv/
Website: https://impatv.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/impatv
(Photo by Dead Slow Ahead, high-res available here)
GROUP A - DEAD SLOW AHEAD
group A present a mix of synth heavy minimal
wave, avant noise, striking visuals and performance art that carries the very
breath of early industrial pioneers such as Throbbing Gristle or Cabaret
Voltaire. Their early shows came as a shock to most spectators, non-stop waves
of experimental noise, intensely emotional poetry readings and nude
live-paintings. As the violinist Sayaka goes on a long hiatus, group A is
evolving, currently the solo project of Tommi Tokyo, she continues to
collaborate with Berlin based visual artist DEAD SLOW AHEAD for live A/V
performances. The work of DEAD SLOW AHEAD centres around erratic geometry, slow
strobe destruction, and negation of the visual comfort zone.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/group_a_band/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/group_a
Bandcamp: https://groupa.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/group_a_band
QUOTES:
“I am extremely excited to be commissioning
this project and touring it around the Outlands network. The Japan & UK
residencies allowed for a deep creative partnership between Qujaku & IMPATV
to be established and enabled this ambitious AV touring production to be
delivered. During our time in Japan, Fat Out connected with independent venues,
art spaces, and interesting performances spaces - seeking out those that
championed experimental and alternative music. We have established partnerships
with these spaces and the people who run them, and aim to work together to set
up opportunities for artists and build further partnerships between the UK and
Japan in the future.” - Emma
Thompson, Fat Out
“We’re delighted to be a part of the project.
We’ve never had tours in collaboration with visual artists, it’s always
exciting to do new things. The UK is one of the countries we enjoy playing most
and people are always kind to us. We really look forward to playing in the
country, working with people from a different culture and creating moments for
people to enjoy themselves.”
- QUJAKU
“We first saw Qujaku live in 2016 and felt a
sense of mysticism and otherworldliness through the intense stomping rhythm and
eerie vocals. They have a completely different sound to any UK bands we know of
and we’re excited to see how this will inform the imagery of the visuals we
will create. During our trip to Japan we immersed ourselves in their culture,
values, craft and technology which massively inspired the visual direction of
this project.” - IMPATV
This performance is an original
commission by OUTLANDS, produced by Fat Out, 2019.
Supported by Arts Council England,
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Sasakawa Foundation, Daiwa Foundation.
Twitter: @OutlandsNetwork
#OutlandsMusic
