Dekmantel Festival aan ’t IJ: Ana Roxanne, Jameszoo’s Blind Group, Space Afrika, Marina Herlop & cktrl
The celebrated Dekmantel Festival is back! This groundbreaking festival, which will be hosted in various locations like the Amsterdamse Bos and concerthalls along IJ, presents more than 120 artists during 5 days. Alongside live performances and DJ sets in the open air, at Amsterdamse Bos, the festival includes a concert program at several venues located on the river banks of the IJ, featuring electronic music, and acts that have influenced contemporary dance music and DJ culture.
On 4 August our stage will host Dekmantel performances of Marina Herlop, Space Afrika, Jameszoo’s Blind Group, cktrl, and Ana Roxanne.
Marina Herlop
In the wondrous world of Marina Herlop, avant-garde classical music merges with experimental electronics. After releasing two solo albums in the past years, the Catalan singer/pianist/producer will soon reveal her next project on PAN Records. In the touching and somewhat bewildering first video for miu, Marina helps a cow give birth while singing percussive syllables in the style of Carnatic (Southern Indian) music, and combines them with distorted, glitchy electronics. Yes, you read that right – open your mind and tune in.
Space Afrika
Joshua Inyang and Joshua Tarelle make up the heartfelt duo that’s Space Afrika, a Manchester-based outfit known for its dense and bold ambient productions. Their most recent record, Honest Labour, is equally informed by the personal and political, resulting in an experimental and sample-ridden sound that ‘exists in the foreground and the background at the same time’. Joshua and Joshua somehow manage to make deeply moody music that, despite its often-heavy themes and solemn instrumentation, is carried by a bright gush of hope.
Jameszoo’s Blind Group
Although Jameszoo’s Blind Group is formed around the musician Mitchel van Dinther, the concept behind this special project is the exact opposite; it questions the notion of the solo artist – among others by the producer letting remote collaborators reshape his work, and using motorised instruments in order to reach an ‘objective’ listening experience. Blind already exists as a full-length album on Brainfeeder and comes with a short film featuring Saïd Gharbi, a dancer who lost his sight and guided Jameszoo on his path of exploring the human senses. This summer, Jameszoo’s Blind Group comes (a)live as a sensory experience of experimental jazz and electronica.
cktrl
cktrl, real name Bradley Miller, is quietly making big moves. While the producer and multi-instrumentalist first made waves in the London club scene, today his work blurs the boundaries of electronic, classical, jazz and neo-soul. From releasing critically acclaimed EPs and gracing magazine covers to appearing in Beyoncé’s Black is King, this artist is becoming an all-round genre of his own. Allow cktrl to break and mend your heart.
Ana Roxanne
It’s hard to be immune to Ana Roxanne’s beautiful voice and delicate synth work. Top these two elements with some crisp field recordings and drum textures, and all music lovers will have it playing on repeat. This is exactly what happened with her album ~~~ when she re-released it in 2019. With Because of a Flower following one year later, she’s been forever enclosed in the hearts, playlists, and record shelves of many. Swaying away to Ana Roxanne’s songs in a live setting sounds like a dream to us.