Is this performance art or suitable for a theater stage? Not “or”! Both! And more; a lot more: Kilbi shoots from all stage directions. The prologue of every festival day is the same: Three stages, three days, three performances. Quadrophonic sound is from the past, baby, here we look into the future and the whole festival site becomes the instrument. The Lautsprecher Orchester (en: loudspeakers orchestra) is going to perform with all loudspeakers available (and more). There’s no escape – Pro-tipp: Stay in the center and get blown away by the surrounding sound. From everywhere.

Thomas Jenny

In collaboration with Südpol Luzern Schubot/Gradinger perform on the lakeside. Angela Schubot and Jared Gradinger are the aliens in the worldwide contemporary dance scene. They regularily cross borders of what should be possible. They fuse into each other and become one person. Or die together, so another can live. Or they communicate with plants. Crazy stuff.

Specially for Kilbi and the B-Sides festival they go from the theater stage into the wild.

Patrick Müller

Timeless. Exquisite. Fragile. Magical. Sensitive. Sad. Intense. Of an important encounter and a fading memory, of a lost melody and a disappeared dream. In receiving bodies Melissa Kassab unfolds a kaleidoscope of feelings. She shares her cosmos with us through her voice that seems to be from a different sphere and her soothing guitar playing. She shares her idea of this cosmos and the way she looks at it. Her music comes from everywhere and nowhere. Music that resits gravity. Hovering. Variable. Colourful. Sweet. Fragile. Exquisite. Timeless.

Dejan Gacond

This man, with the best dj name in the whole universe (en: dj fat), who could and can do everything, doesn’t need another introduction at Kilbi since he’s kind of the Bacchus on Bad-Bonn-earth. When Dj Fett appears, the C in disCo becomes apparent: C for cult, C for crazy, C for collapse – until the hangover-after-dance. Everyone who associates something else probably prefers a cactus in their bum, the coitus elsewhere. No kidding: Dj Fett is going to be fnooth’n’fice. Rock’n’roll!

Stoph

If there was a soundtrack for judgement day, this Swiss duo would be the creators of the appropriate music. Steve Buchanan and Maxime Hänsenberger are Friendly Fire. Nomen est omen. Fire Friendly. When those two start to kick off, hell is set lose. Sax-feedback-shrapnel, drum-flamethrowers or laser-drone-guitars, nobody is safe. In a 360° scattering angle omnidirectional loudspeakers shoot all they got at you. Endulge in what’s coming.

Samuel Riedo

East Sister is the name of an uninhabited island in lake Erie. A suitable name for the young band from Lucerne and Geneva, based in Basel. The solitude on an island like this, the calming sounds. That’s what helps your own fantasy thrive to enter a state where everything is possible. And that’s how the dream pop pearls from Laura Schenk (keyboards / vocals), Lorraine Dinkel (guitar / vocals) and Amadeus Fries (drums) work. They offer the experience to find strength in tranquility, a strength that provides you with comfort.

Ivo Stritt

One of the most remarkable stories of the globalised music world is the one of the Orchestre les Mangelepa. In the 70’s they were one of the most popular Soukous bands in East Africa, however never became famous beyond the borders of the African continent. 41 years after the foundation of this band the orchestra, with their album “Last Band Standing” (the title is to be understood literal!) is finally to be enjoyed on European stages – and promises a journey back in time, when Congolese Rumba dominated Africas dancefloors. The relaxed-hypnotic sound with the bittersweet-harmonious vocals is still enchanting today.

Damian Hohl

This duo from Johannesburg has nailed their flag to the mast of rebellion: Faka means “occupy”- and what they want to conquer is a piece of visibility, for diverging gender identities in post colonial Africa. That’s why Faka, who mix clubsound with spiritual black music into a exstatic tribal rave, understand themselves as performance artists: During their shows, often in art galeries, they don’t just try on different wigs and high fashion pieces, but whole gender roles.

Lena Rittmeyer

Political turmoil and corruption have not only been characterising Tunisia since the Jasmine Revolution which started in 2010 after the self-immolation of a vegetable grocer. Deena Abdelwahed came, just like thousands of her fellow countrymen and -women, to Europe with the prospect of self-realisation and independence. In France the producer wove her bassy, tricky techno tracks into traditional Arabian sounds and rhythms. The Parisian label Infiné Music lets these dark dystopias grow in a suitable environment (Apparat, Rone, Francesco Tristano).

Fabienne Schmuki

The question about how this young band sounds like is best answered by a counter question: What if Black Sabbath were to play afrobeat? During the 70’s the mix of psychedelic rock and African rhythms was called “Zamrock”; the heavy electric guitar mantras of Marcos Garcia, who by the way is part of the afrobeat-collective Antibalas, sound a lot more spunky. Drummer Geoff Mann, son of the jazz-flautist Herbie Mann, pushes the repetitive funk riffs and roughs the smoothly grooving afrobeat up into heavy rock.

Lena Rittmeyer

The incredible. After having gone on a European pilgrimage with her three record players, turned her tables on various dancefloors and collected many jewels, Dj Marcelle is simply a must for Kilbi. No rules, no fears, no limits! Together we cross all genres at every speed possible with this cunning Dutch performer. She’s an artist, a genius with a vigilant and unpredictable taste. She’s not prone to trends and “beat-matching” seems boring. A masterpiece, always ahead of the time, that gets the crowd dancing. All night long and in euphorism.

Laure Anne Cossu

A surreal creature which not only decorates the cover of Nadah El Shazly’s debut album “Ahwar” but also acts as a figurehead for this musical masterpiece. A lion’s jump from the Nile region out into the never ending widths of sound. Multi-layered, colourful, explorative, like an ever changing mask, accompanied by a tempting voice that leads through labyrinthal compositions. Nadah El Shazly adds layer after layer, detail after detail, without losing the attentive listener to complete absurdity. A musical change of perspective is being created that has, in this way, never existed before.

Valentin Brügger

Some stories are older. The works of roots whose finest fibres reach out into the venes of humans and keep growing. In the Maroccan village of Jajouka this has ever been happening on a musical level. Numerous artists, musicians, writers found their way to these master musicians of Jajouka and carried the sonic narratives far beyond the Atlas Mountains. Polyrhythmic drums and hovering flute melodies that drive each other crazy – in the best way possible. In addition the bodies synchronous at the firebeat until sound and heat rise up to the sky, close on top of us like roofs of leafs and we become part of this story.

Valentin Brügger

A sound laboratory and two crazy musical professors who seem to like hunting big swans down the streets in their leisure time. Or: Bristols chafed friends of electronic music and of hardcore punk meet up for a little “let’s bring these walls down”-session. Frenetic rhythms, sole-melting basslines and churned up kicks make this an absolutely insane soundtrack. Vitalising, cathartic and with an incredible attraction as if the audience were flickering along a vibrating grid of a Faraday cage. The damn swan has scented meat.

Valentin Brügger

For hip hop purists Injury Reserve are too crazy and weird, for the occasional rap fan they’re too much hip hop. Hence this trio from Phoenix is neither apple nor pear and they obviously feel comfortable this way. They say they want their music to sound new and querky, but at the same time cool and accessible. So they get to the heart of their music, which was mainly recorded in a dental practice. Xanax-trap-kids are going to love them, everybody who likes innovative and rhythmically complex underground hip hop even more so.

Damian Hohl

This trio from Los Angeles, consisting of Will Ivy (Dream Boys), Tim Hellman (Thee Oh Sees, Sic Alps) and Justin Sullivan (Kevin Morby, The Babies), has just recently released its first album. The first EP Red Hot Sand already hit it: Finally some good stuff again, proper American Underground Punk! A bit of garage, some distorted guitars, a lot of noise appeal, some rock’n’roll, punk lyrics and kick ass beats, dadaistic videos, … need I go on?

The Flat Worms are simply fucking great!

Sabine Ruch

Instead of documenting the past, this newly formed group establishes the basis for creative projections: In the centre of Ahmeds exciting music are radical drafts of the future and four idiosyncratic voices. The musicians dedicate their work to Ahmed Abdul-Malik, work with his heritage and the fusion of Eastern and Western music from the late 50’s to transport it into the day after tomorrow. “Music to listen, dance and think to”, is what the label Umlaut writes about them. Is there anything more bright about the future than finally to learn how to listen, dance and think?

Fabienne Schmuki

It sizzles and frizzles, but it’s not juicy steaks that are being fried, but cables, loudspeakers and circuits, not only in the mixing desk but also in our brains. For years Pan Daijing, who now lives in Berlin but grew up in Guiyang, China, has been presenting her noise-voice-sculptures and -performances to people who enjoy music as a physical and psychological borderline experience. In 2017 her debut was release with sounds which at first appear to be surprisingly soft, then stubbornly repeat themselves and develop an extensive, sometimes almost torturing presence which is hard to escape.

Frédéric Auderset

On their third album “Interventions” Horse Lords from Baltimore let West African beats, saxophone, microtonal guitars and minimal grooves collide. They’re just as part in the newest wave of “smarty-arty-DIY-weirdos” as in the Indie of the 21^st century and manage to abolish the borders between compostion/improvisation and electronic/performance. It is said that the rolling polyrhythms of the two drummers Sam Haberman and Andrew Bernstein (sax as well), which meet the pounding guitar sounds of Owen Gardner and bearing bass of Max Eilbacher, climax in an incredibly powerful, highly energetic live show!

Sabine Ruch

Sevdaliza roams through the infinity of possibilites in a deceptive sound universe, volatile, organic and synthetic. A world between cosmic greatness and barely perceptible feelings. Questioning humans, their assumed origin and potential future, Sevdaliza ponders about undefined origins, genders or norms. A musical, philosophical, personal and critical of society reflection, carried by a melancholic, warm voice. A voice, vaccinated by the sad consciousness of a world looking for a lasting identity.

Dejan Gacond

Is this performance art or suitable for a theater stage? Not “or”! Both! And more; a lot more: Kilbi shoots from all stage directions. The prologue of every festival day is the same: Three stages, three days, three performances. Quadrophonic sound is from the past, baby, here we look into the future and the whole festival site becomes the instrument. The Lautsprecher Orchester (en: loudspeakers orchestra) is going to perform with all loudspeakers available (and more). There’s no escape – Pro-tipp: Stay in the center and get blown away by the surrounding sound. From everywhere.

Thomas Jenny

In collaboration with Südpol Luzern Schubot/Gradinger perform on the lakeside. Angela Schubot and Jared Gradinger are the aliens in the worldwide contemporary dance scene. They regularily cross borders of what should be possible. They fuse into each other and become one person. Or die together, so another can live. Or they communicate with plants. Crazy stuff.

Specially for Kilbi and the B-Sides festival they go from the theater stage into the wild.

Patrick Müller

Timeless. Exquisite. Fragile. Magical. Sensitive. Sad. Intense. Of an important encounter and a fading memory, of a lost melody and a disappeared dream. In receiving bodies Melissa Kassab unfolds a kaleidoscope of feelings. She shares her cosmos with us through her voice that seems to be from a different sphere and her soothing guitar playing. She shares her idea of this cosmos and the way she looks at it. Her music comes from everywhere and nowhere. Music that resits gravity. Hovering. Variable. Colourful. Sweet. Fragile. Exquisite. Timeless.

Dejan Gacond

Money burns your fingers. And hearts don’t make an exception. Pony brings in love. Into music. That charges. But whoever fully savours it is happy to pay the price. For Brigitte (Bardot) it takes two. Gael Kyrkiakidis can do it all by herself. Or almost. She’s also good with band. Art and singing full on. A ripe Lolita in a backyard of seduction. Ethnicity is for the neighbourhood. Tangible, playful, lascivious and with a hidden sense of humour. One can learn music. Or, in Pony’s case, just play.

Sven Wälti

The duo from Zurich Savage Ground consists of the highly praised dj Daniele Cosmo and an ominous mister called CCO. On their joined list of instruments we find various rhythm providers whose product names usually are being followed by a three-digit number with a zero in the middle. Modular synths of any type fill the unsequenced sound range with artificial life. You could call this experimental techno, and you should, that’s what Lux Rec, the label Daniele Cosmo founded 7 years ago, stands for.

Roger Ziegler

In Switzerland there are regions where they economise and prove a lack of creativity; Timo Keller of Hanreti walks down the opposite path. In his studio “vom Dach” in Lucerne he tinkers with hippie-hop, alternative-funk and other grand music from all over the world. The gaps between his album releases are so short, they say the successor is already in the starting gates before the new album has even come out. For now let’s keep dreaming the “Deep Sea Dream”.

Stoph

If one was to dissect Ziúr’s music, the following would be found: Furious basslines and hostile samples. The box which says “rage” would be bursting, just like the boxes “loud” and “pressing”: The dj/producer from Berlin doesn’t give a shit about subgenres or tempos. Her daring mix is so intelligent that despite the wild chaos of beats and rhythms her sound is danceable. Ziúr became the darling of the scene in no time, she supported Dev Hynes (Blood Orange) and Peaches. To all festival goers who like order: Take a break!

Fabienne Schmuki

Harvey Rushmore & The Octopus, a furious quartet that swears on experience and hence wants to conquer the stage. Those rebels, inspired by the American (anti)heroes and the soundtracks of the 60’s, resist against all kinds of chains. The group likes improvisation and the freedom of coincidence and isn’t scared of hidden niches nor querky turnoffs. The rock’n’roll fountain of youth seems more inexhaustible than ever.

Laure Anne Cossu

This woman is a singing statement. In Lido Pimientas shows minorities are being prefered, addressed, placed in the center. Her current LP “La Papessa” won deservingly the prestigious Polaris Music Prize. A masterpiece that places Colombian latin, avantgardistic afro and dark avantgarde-electro on one level for interaction. Hence the record contains different settings between the countries of origin of the artist, Colombia and Canada. To put it in a nutshell: Afro-Latin-Björk times do-gooder.

Stoph

Visuals by Patrick Conus

Isolated Lines refuses to restrict himself solely to experimental techno and adds a hint of groove to the cold, captivating rhythms of the genre, totally trippy and hypnotic.  In a many-faceted way he weaves his nocturnal experiences and dark, transcendental energy into his subtle productions. In 2013, after the release of his first EP  “Linear Reflection” he attracted the attention of Tommy Four Seven who used one of the tracks on his first compilation on his new label 47. An artist with a thing for the dark side of the force.

Laure Anne Cossu

Since almost three decades Andrew Weatherall, the British overlord of techno, has been enlightening us with his sounds. Be it solo, as Sabres of Paradise or Two Lone Swordsmen – he never sold out to mainstream, but stayed loyal to his IDM-approach and has stayed a pioneer of innovative electronic music. With his new album “Qualia” he’s going in a more instrumental, slower direction of dance music, which conveys a live-feeling through seemingly live drums and dynamic, but unobtrusive bass lines. He has been doing “missionary” work for slower, quieter dance music for a long time – more melody and atmosphere instead of nzz nzz.

Sabine Ruch

Even a small fish gets eaten. Laetitia Tamko aka Vagabon from Brooklyn sings just about that, yet doesn’t feel like that anymore. Preferably staying inside. Or just meeting Frankie Cosmos. But being tired sounds different. Awakening! Boundlessness! Propaganda! Guitar meets ambient. Girl of the moment for the media. She prints her own musical control. Freedom on the way to be free. “Infinite World” is the name of the album. A shark eats everything. And Pitchfork, once more, picked it up.

Sven Wälti

For his new project Beat Zeller aka Reverend Beat-Man has teamed up with musicians whose names will let every Swiss music fan’s heart beat faster: Mario Batkovic at the accordeon, Julian Sartorius at the drums, Resli Burri at the keys and vocally supported by American singer Nicole Izobel Garcia. In this combination the surreal-folk-blues-gospel-trash of the reverend will be filtered, worn down and reconstructed. The pure soul of rock’n’roll, which is always being placed on a pedestal in his music, will be shining more bright than ever.

Ivo Stritt

Four boys, two girls – and a lot of revolution. The Downtown Boys from Rhode Island take Trump’s wall down before it’s erected and not less than reducing capitalism to a pile of rubble is what they want. The sextet is part of a new wave of US-bands with political thinking and exciting lead singer (Sheer Mag, Pill, etc.). Her South American roots are not only noticeable during the trump-attack. And all that again and again with saxophone and tuba, and full on having a go at everyone and everything. Emotion in punk, high level songwriting, melody, temper and tempo – and still not one drop of Ska: brilliant.

Mario Corpataux

Through the torture that La Tène exposes their museum instruments to, with a lot of care and dexterity, emerges a sound between evolutionary roaring and primitive trance. Percussion, hurdy-gurdy and an Indian harmonium throne on an electronic sound carpet. The psychedelic bit appears to be from the middle ages, the vibrations seem timeless and at the end of the sound labyrinth remains a craving for more. For their second Kilbi visit the French-Swiss trio will be accompanied by the collective La Novia, which is also dealing with traditional and experimental music.

Christophe Schenk

Caterina Barbieri has learned the art of composing from scratch, but instead of working with an orchestra she chose sequencers and synthesizers, however she always keeps a certain form to her music. The result: thoroughly composed experimental electronica. Based on minimalistic, repetitive patterns – and always in search of highly clear waves and pure sounds -, her music unfolds a meditative force, which at first covers up the complexity of the compositions, yet develops an enormous vortex. Music for people who love the silence and/or Philip Glass.

Thomas Jenny

Just imagine if Kill Bill and La La Land were one and the same film. Khruangbins clip for Two Fish And An Elephant succumbs to this temptation: The Texan trio lets an Asian Uma Thurman meet an Afro American Ryan Gosling in the midst of a massacre. And soon they dance-melt into each other with this lovely sound track in the back… Inspired by the Thai funk of the 60’s, by Tarantino sound tracks and surf rock, there’s magical power in Khruangbins music. This show will transform the Kilbi site into an American prairie, your beer into Mezcal and the girl in your arms into a Medusa.

Fabienne Schmuki

A traditional choir created for Bulgarian television, discovered by a Swiss music fan, bringing this cultural heritage allover the world. Thanks to thousands of concerts, millions of sold records and a Grammy Award it’s hard not to talk about this mystery. Fascinated by the choir, the great Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance accompanies The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices on their tour.

Christophe Schenk

“The Animal Spirit”, the third album of James Holden, is the culmination of a radical transformation: The computer-music-trendsetter and dj of the 00’s becomes a virtuos and important live musician and band leader! Pure insanity what this guy and his new gang are doing! Atmosphere, polyrhythm, jazz, ethno, electronica: check all! Kind of an accoustic hypnosis overcomes you when listening to the record which was recorded in a mammoth-session through single takes and in one single room. Important: listen, don’t jabber, and take off.

Sabine Ruch

Is this performance art or suitable for a theater stage? Not “or”! Both! And more; a lot more: Kilbi shoots from all stage directions. The prologue of every festival day is the same: Three stages, three days, three performances. Quadrophonic sound is from the past, baby, here we look into the future and the whole festival site becomes the instrument. The Lautsprecher Orchester (en: loudspeakers orchestra) is going to perform with all loudspeakers available (and more). There’s no escape – Pro-tipp: Stay in the center and get blown away by the surrounding sound. From everywhere.

Thomas Jenny

If simply being sounds bearable, something must have happenend. And if at Südpol (en: music venue in Lucerne, CH) the locals invite you to dream, it must be real. Real good! Alois, coming from the region, does not let these flowers wither. Even hipsters would cut off their beards to be able to get a good listen to this. It might be easy. More bubble bath than cold shower. Mints in a bouquet with it, or the all-boom of this time. Here’s to the tender start of a long stay.

Sven Wälti

Young Martina Berther from Chur CH first appeared in different hip hop bands in the canton of Graubünden as a double bass player. Today she’s a very busy sidewoman of the Swiss music scene. Béatrice Graf from Geneva was one of the few female drummers in the 80’s in Switzerland. Her background goes from afro to jazz to rock. Together they’re Ester Poly. Sometimes the double bass gets brushed gently, in other moments it gets hit angrily, the drum gives straight beats or does crazy rollie pollies. Is it jazz? Is it rock? In any way, it’s authentic, honest and highly exciting.

Ivo Stritt

2 thumbs and 1 index finger – that’s how you draw out the bell like sounds of the one thousand year old thumb piano Mbira. In Zimbabwe’s early 70’s this instrument was infamous and dangerous: When Stella Chiweshe or Ambuya Chinyakare (grandmother of the traditional music) learned to play the Mbira, it was banned for women; above all the colonial regime prohibited all cultural activities. Today Chiweshe lives in Berlin, is known as ambassador to female artists from Zimbabwe and spreads her message of peace in the shape of trance music. 3 fingers for peace!

Fabienne Schmuki

If the bass waves are heavy enough, the sea floods the street of Gibraltar. Cliffs, straits nor Röstigraben (en: a humorous term used to refer to the cultural boundary between German-speaking and French-speaking parts of Switzerland) have ever managed to intimidate Gibraltar Vacuum. The barely known Alter Ego of Feldermelder could be more dangerous than expected. You’ll browse the web to find some sound samples for nothing, but whoever likes techno black and without sugar, will fall into the breaker of Lake Schiffenen, the house lake of Bad Bonn, but maybe even into ruin!

Fabienne Schmuki

The dj and producer from Zurich, who spins his turntables from Berlin to Montreux and who describes his own origin a combination of a Carribean voodoo-magician-tribe and a family from central Switzerland, quickly learned the rhythms of his musical heritage. He came back from Berlin and a residency at Watergate to Zurich to prepare his new album and to get together with Kalabrese for a new project. A limitless creative force of blues and funk and a must for every crazy-happy dancer.

Laure Anne Cossu

The Golden Dawn Arkestra from Austin puts a whole music store on top of the Kilbi stage with guitars, bass, drums, synthesizers, organ and a lot of percussion and brass and this and that and dancers. This is a pure celebration of music and a hommage to its higher power or to Ra or simply to the begin of summer and the freedom to move. The ceremony contains the aura of former films with disco bowls and space ships, cool sun glasses and naked skin, with quotes from Sun Ra and Sly Stone, innuendos to Slayer and Yello and always funky and danceable.

Frédéric Auderset

Often when you read an artist’s biography full of strong words it’s to distract from the mediocrity of the music. When it comes to AIR LQD, the new solo project of Mehdi Kernachi, we interprete it more as a warning. This man likes shit to go down. Overloaded rhythm machines, distorted samples, rough sound interludes and a consequently minimalistic sound image contribute to this new-era-link between techno and industrial musical.

Roger Ziegler

When Peter Conradin Zumthor plays his drums, you feel like finding yourself again in a Tarkowski film: Dusty industrial buildings appear in front of your inner eye, where old machines rattle and roar. The drummer from Graubünden CH (en: region in the east of Switzerland) is the son of the famous architect Peter Zumthor and is, just like his father, a master in his field. At high speed do his sticks race over the skins, highly precise are his powerful solos. And even though it’s loneliness that keeps him going, he seems to have developed a liking to collaborations – for example with Merz, Julian Sartorius or Anna Trauffer.

Lena Rittmeyer

To describe Bonaventure as a Swiss representative of the globally active diaspora label project NON Worldwide is not quite right. Until just recently Soraya has been working as graphic artist, but has turned her back on Lausanne CH, her place of birth, a long time ago. Her slightly muddled, yet groove-oriented electronc tracks are heavily loaded. The racism, hatred and indifference of and between people have left too deep a mark on her. There is absolutely no way her music could not be understood as a politica message.

Roger Ziegler

Music can make you lose your ground or enlarge the horizon, it can deconstruct your own view of the world or enable an access to the fourth dimension. UUUU do all of these things combined: The members of Wire, Coil & Tomaga simply blow you away, there’s so much musical joy of experimenting which results in epic, repetitive, full anti-hymns. The self titled epos proves versatility in the tracks in English, German and Italian, in stylistic changeability and hybridisation of today and tomorrow. Thank you, danke, grazie UUUU!

What to do when The Fat White Family meets Paranoid London meets Insecure Men? Tea-party? Surely not! Don’t block it, just let it happen: Bang your head with those unorthodoxe grooves, hit the dance floor real good, braise your eardrum with those piercing guitar sounds and last but not least get mad with this overwound echo-like singing. With psychedelic sounds that melt on your tongue like hot glue. Warmduscher: Where body hygiene stops and kraut garage begins.

Samuel Riedo

In this context “Trance” is to be understood in the original meaning; music, “in whose rise the subjective dwindles away towards complete oblivion of the world and one self.” (Friedrich Nietzsche – The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music): the dyonisian quality of repetitive, rhythmic percussion from Uganda meets appollonian calculation of electronic sounds from the UK. The analogue fuses with the futuristic, drum patterns and synth-carpets connect with the omen of collective ecstasy. Nihil obstat!

Thomas Jenny

One could, but wouldn’t want to write down meter long sentences full of references. One tries to keep it short and to leave puzzlement behind: TI, MG, UMO, MS – or captures it in a nutshell in a chat with the cousin: “What do you actually think about Nick Hakim?”. Me: “Throughout high standards, big. The belief that his authenticity lies in the way he plays with different influences.” “Smart ass!”, is what I’d have said if I were my cousin. Hakim, from Washington, is a funk-soul-brother, a colourful one with a warm voice and the talent to transform the good old into something new and he doesn’t seem to be bothered when 2+2 is not 4.

Mario Corpataux

When Faty Sy Savanet and Nicolas Dacuhna step on stage, epileptic dance attacks are inevitable. That’s not surprising since the French-Congolese duo sets free incredible energies with their rough mix of dry drumbeats, rhythmic tribal percussios, garage rock guitars and the plain voice of Sy Savanet. Music that for once actually deserves the term afropunk. Highly explosive set-piece-music keeping pace with the time.

Damian Hohl

We are speechless right from the beginning. John Maus escapes every drawer or box people may want to put him in. A hectic giant with the look of a university professor. This man creates short, rebounding phrases, suiting the music movements of the 80’s. A carpet of jingling keys and synth textures. A science fiction film atmosphere, urban melancholy, bleak motel rooms on unsteady tv screens… Behind this deceptively realistic appearance hides a well thought-out world of sounds and a great thinker: a coincidental meeting of Twin Peak and Gilles Deleuze in the fields of Kilbi…

Text: Dejan Gacond

With their first attempt Annika Henderson and her Mexican session partners created a playlist for the last disco of this world. Aroused bodies that devote themselves to the trippy-driven groove of post punk and goth wave. Above, almost lethargically and subdued, hovers Henderson’s voice, which describes surreal scenes that let you recognise the disconcerting truth of reality. All this bound together by an improvised sound construct that ensures the longed for touch of finality. With squeazed eyes and flames inside you get lost. To risk disintegration with Exploded View and keep dancing.

Valentin Brügger

The Americans are messengers of tomorrow’s pop, destroy eras and influences with a disarming easiness. The Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine or Spacemen 3 – Deerhunter combine it all at the same time. They’re kind of a Spotify-account of the future and do a lot of things better than everybody else, without unnecessary imitation or genius-kid-attitude. Could this be the secret of passion?

Christophe Schenk