Ancienne Belgique

Jóhann Jóhannsson is known as composer for theatre and film, as musician with Apparat Organ Quartet (with his predilection for dilapidated organs) and the dark electronica project Evil Madne...

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Jóhann Jóhannsson is known as composer for theatre and film, as musician with Apparat Organ Quartet (with his predilection for dilapidated organs) and the dark electronica project Evil Madness (with the likes of Curver), and also as co-founder of Iceland's ‘think tank’ Kitchen Motors (see too: Kira Kira and Hilmar Jensson). He has a series of film scores to his name and six solo-albums, including the much acclaimed ‘Fordlândia’, an album about the failed dream of Henry Ford, who attempted to establish a new country in the Amazon forest in the 1920's. ‘And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees’ appeared just recently via Type Records.  Jóhannsson's combination of strings, electronica and percussion is rarely rivalled. His slowly building, emotional melodies leave few unmoved. Awe inspiring beauty? Oh yeah! What's more – and we quote - “Although his music is rarely, if ever, played on the radio, Iceland's Jóhann Jóhannsson has succeeded in winning over a large audience without much media attention.” according to De Morgen.

Support act will be Valby Vokalgruppe and also DJ Flugvél og Geimskip. Valby Vokalgruppe is a purely vocal Danish ‘all-girl’ ensemble. To google their name is to yield oneself to their wonderful voices and pure rhythmics. Iceland's DJ Flugvél og Geimskip (read: DJ ‘airplane’ and ‘spaceship’) are a part of the ‘girls band’ of the same name. Their debut ‘Rokk og Róleg lög’ (‘Rock and Easy Tunes’) was released last year.

SILENCE IS SEXY is the antithesis of AB's just recently released brand new series THE ART OF NOISE. The Art Of Noise refers to the futuristic manifest launched by Italian Luigi Russolo (who also built ‘noise machines’ as instruments) in 1913 and it throws light upon the (underground) noise scene. Silence Is Sexy focuses on the so-called (new) contemporary classical composers that are increasingly gaining popularity in the field of ‘pop music’. They are engaged in the world of classical music but are often willing to have electronica trickle through in their work, often resulting in a unique sound. AB has already wholeheartedly embraced this movement in the past, having welcomed the likes of Max Richter, Hauschka, Jóhan Jóhannsson, Ludovico Einaudi, Nico Muhly, Peter Broderick, Ólafur Arnalds or Nils Frahm. The title Silence Is Sexy hails from the Einstürzende Neubauten album of the same name, from 2000. The band that previously made ‘industrial noise’ and currently honours the power of silence.

“Just like Sigur Rós, Jóhann Jóhannsson delves in the area between pop and classical, emotional depth wins against technical ability, and music wins against language.”  (De Morgen)