Bozar Night celebrates its fifth anniversary

How do you get young people to visit a museum? With great parties, of course. But Bozar Night offers more than just fun dance hits and hip DJs at an unusual location. That is why electronica fans are already raving about this, the fifth edition. AGENDA has taken a look at the line-up for you.

GoldFFinch
Among all the international acts, there is a remarkable Belgian duo. And they are from Brussels, no less. Our capital is the breeding ground of many electronica talents. GoldFFinch emerged last year when a number of leading DJs used their songs and radio star Mary Anne Hobbs invited them to play a mix on XFM. Their sound is relatively dark and minimalist, and refers to old electro and Detroit techno from the 1980s, but with a modern house and future bass twist. They scatter snippets of vocals across the beats and bleeps that only make the whole thing more mysterious. A duo that is certainly going places.

Clark
Eleven years ago, Chris Clark debuted on the well-known Warp Records. At the time, his music was completely consonant with the electronica label and it was often compared to Aphex Twin and Autechre. More recently though, Clark, as he is now known for short, has started increasing the number of acoustic instruments in his music. On his last album, Iradelphic, you can even hear more folk influences coming through the electronica, as well as the beautiful voice of Martina Topley Bird on some tracks. It is a logical and extremely successful evolution in his career. In Paris, audiences went wild at his last live show, so we’re curious to see what the reactions will be in Brussels. (Photo © Dian McLeod)

Raph
Raph is also becoming increasingly better known, though for the time being only within our own borders. He made his name at the popular Forma.T parties in Liège, which later also came to Brussels. You can now see him at Recyclart, techno institute Fuse, and as “resident” DJ in Playground on Studio Brussel. His playlists include class acts like Joy Orbison, Soul Clap, and Ricardo Villalobos.

Daedelus
Daedelus’s music is difficult to describe. Sometimes you can enjoy it while taking a rest, but at other times it sounds completely chaotic and nervous. He has clearly been influenced by everything ranging from jazz to hip hop and UK garage. He samples to his heart’s desire and on his recent album Bespoke, he works with no less than seven guest vocalists including well-known names like Busdriver and Bilal. He releases record after record and does so on respected labels like Ninja Tune, Mush, and Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder. On stage, he transforms – always dressed in a Victorian outfit – into a raging machine that aims to force your legs into submission. For his live performance at the Centre for Fine Arts, he is bringing Archimedes, a wall of mirrors that reacts to the music, creating a surprisingly impressive visual show.

Oneohtrix Point Never
We have always liked the repetitive soundscapes of artists like Biosphere, Brian Eno, and Susumu Yokota. Oneohtrix Point Never, the alias of the American Daniel Lopatin, also creates rarefied mini-atmospheres with his soundscapes. He gets his collection of sounds from old commercials and even older synthesisers. His sound also refers to electronica of the 1970s and 1980s, but at the same time he manages to weave a lot of warmth into his compositions. Oneohtrix Point Never’s harmonies on Replica, released last year, are particularly fine. The tracks are no longer than the average pop song and do not descend into interminable pieces. This makes his compositions far more accessible. His intriguing music is best heard either through a good set of headphones or booming from speakers. That is how to discover all the details of his broad tonal palette and get lost in it like Alice in Wonderland.

Lazer Sword
If you like Modeselektor, you will not be averse to Lazer Sword. The American duo consisting of Lando Kal and Low Limit was recently signed to the German Monkeytown label and they will soon release their second album there. A veritable buzz developed around them after they uploaded a few mix tapes to the web, and their talent was confirmed by the debut album they released in 2010. Lazer Sword’s secret weapon is an extremely dangerous cocktail of electro, hip hop, boogie funk, and future beats from cyberspace. They describe it as “future blap”. Imagine a blend of Justice, Hudson Mohawke, Benjamin Damage & Doc Daneeka, and Dopplereffekt. Shake well before use.

soFa
DJ soFa is no stranger to Brussels. With his extensive musical knowledge, he has no problem combining 1960s psychedelia with the hypermodern beats of, for example, Untold. One thing is certain, dancing to a set by soFa is like a long, musical adventure. Be sure to pack enough breadcrumbs!

(© GoldFFinch Wood)

Bozar Night
30/4 • 19.00, €10/13
Paleis voor Schone Kunsten/Palais des Beaux-Arts rue Ravensteinstraat 23, Brussel/Bruxelles, 02-507.82.00, info@bozar.be, www.bozar.be