Ryuichi Sakamoto, who died in 2023, was a true innovator, both as a composer and as an artist working in electronica. Known by many for his film scores (among them The Revenant, written with Alva Noto, and The Last Emperor), he is also remembered for his pioneering work with synth-based band Yellow Music Orchestra, and for a number of fruitful collaborations as composer, producer, and performer. Among these collaborations, some of the most noteworthy included his long-standing association with Alva Noto - with whom he released several albums over a 17-year period, beginning with 2002's Vrioon – and with Austrian guitarist and producer Fennesz, with whom he also recorded and performed.
Now, Alva Noto and Fennesz come together for a unique project conceived in the spirit of their erstwhile collaborator both as a tribute and as a continuation of the experimental paths each artist forged him. The project brings together a whole team of stage, light, and sound designers to create an immersive multi-media experience.
'Nearly a quarter century after his ambient glitch masterpiece Endless Summer, Fennesz still seeks transcendence in the collision of guitar riffs and electronic treatments.'
Pitchwork
Carsten Nicolai (aka Alva Noto) is considered one of the greats of electronic music and is also an acclaimed audio-visual artist, whose installations have been exhibited in the Guggenheim in New York and Tate Modern in London. As those who saw his concert with Ensemble Modern at Prague Sounds in 2023 will remember, his performances are carefully-crafted amalgams of sonic and visual elements marked by rare refinement and precision. Fennesz is an equally distinctive voice in electronic music (notable collaborations include those with Mike Patton and David Sylvian) and has also worked in film and dance. His breakthrough album Endless Summer (2001) is still considered an important milestone in the development of electronica.
'Alva Noto's sound design is exquisite.'
The Guardian
Continuum is a project not to be missed: a coming-together of two musical pioneers in a unique venue: for the first time, Prague Sounds comes to ARCHA+, a rejuvenated, state-of-the-art space that promises to make the experience all the more memorable.
Line-up
Alva Noto – electronics
Fennesz – electronics, quitar
