Ancienne Belgique

For the first time in Europe, in 2007 the AB brought the Icelandic BEDROOM COMMUNITY collective to Belgium (during Domino) and The Netherlands (for Motel Mozaique). The result: the revelation of a bea...

Read more

For the first time in Europe, in 2007 the AB brought the Icelandic BEDROOM COMMUNITY collective to Belgium (during Domino) and The Netherlands (for Motel Mozaique). The result: the revelation of a beautiful, musically like-minded – but, individually, considerably varied – family that crosses borders both musically and territorially. The label was established in 2006 and now has 5 releases, which rest musically at the meeting point of songwriter-ship, classical music and electronica. AB has been following since the start and invites them back time and time again. However, for the first time, AB now presents the musical family in its entirety, with a programme containing:

Valgeir Sigurdsson (Icel.) - Producer and musician VALGEIR SIGURÐSSON has helped considerably to establish the Icelandic music scene over past decades. He's been running his now renowned Greenhouse Studios since ’97 and has recorded fine albums from the likes of Björk, Sigur Rós, Múm, CocoRosie and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy there. His impressive and loudly acclaimed debut: ‘Ekvílibríum’.

Ben Frost (Aus.) - BEN FROST lives in Iceland, but was born in Australia. He works closely with V. Sigurðsson, has previously written for film and dance productions. On Bedroom Community he released ‘Theory Of Machines’. An album that flirts with the electronica of Fennesz but also, say, the industrial aspects of The Swans. ‘By The Throat’ is soon to be released, with collaboration from the likes of Amiina, Jeremy Gara (The Arcade Fire), Nico Muhly and Swedish metal band Crowpath.

Nico Muhly (US) - American pianist/composer Nico Muhly has previously worked with Antony and the Johnsons (including ‘The Crying Light’) and Philip Glass. He could be heard on Björk's ‘Medúlla’ and helped her to arrange the score for Matthew Barney’s film ‘Drawing Restraint 9’. He also arranged the strings on ‘The Letting Go’ by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. Two albums have already been released on Bedroom Community: ‘Speaks Volumes’ and ‘Mothertongue’. Recent release was his soundtrack for ‘The Reader’, with Kate Winslet in the lead.

Sam Amidon (US) - Rolling Stone Magazine once wrote these fine words about troubadour Sam Amidon: "In an era of overheated Nick Drake comparisons, Amidon is eerily close to the reel thing, singing in a fragile but certain tenor against the deep breath and soft sweep of Nico Muhly’s orchestrations." This ‘man with the banjo’ was already convincing with his BC-release ‘All Is Well’. Once you've seen the man live, you're certain to be sold.

Ben Frost - ‘Black’

Nico Muhly – 'It Goes Without Saying'