Sŵn (pronounced: suːn) is the Welsh word for “sound/noise” and also the namesake for one of Britain’s most exciting music festivals with a focus on emerging artists. Sŵn Festival takes place in Cardiff 20-22 October. As part of Kultur | lx’s partnership with the Excite network, DasRADIAL has been chosen to perform at this year’s festival edition on Sunday 22 October at Fuel Rock Club.
DasRADIAL, who released his new single “LIEBES-DRANG” two weeks ago, grows out of the absurdities of our digital age: a being, not man not machine, walks between dream and reality! Musician and actor Max Thommes, who spent 10 years as the drummer in the band INBORN! produced by acclaimed producer Ross Robinson, has been going his own way since 2019, creating a dystopian cosmos with DasRADIAL. After several works for the German State Theatre, he also produced the title track of the Arte documentary “UNTERM_RADAR”. With his electronic beats and sharp-tongued lyrics, DasRADIAL now seeks the symbiosis of art figure and musical live performance.
Excite is a highly-collaborative project between seven partner organisations based across Europe (BE, DE, LU, NO, NL, SE, UK) and leverages a dynamic mechanism to expedite the internationalisation of young artists and music businesses earlier in their careers and development. The delivery model is built around a core of ten partner festivals in their respective markets, with a small number of associated festivals and conferences in different territories – plus a curated stage which took place this year at The Great Escape in Brighton, UK.
More information and tickets are available here.
The Global Project Grant, available to artists in the Luxembourgish music scene, offers them the chance of setting out and proposing a project that will enable them to kick-start their career development, promotion and marketing, participation in tours, involvement in international workshops/conferences, and to increase the depth of their compositional work.
This initiative is intended to add value to the project and to encourage artists and their teams to plan their strategy one year ahead, with a dedicated budget. For its part, Kultur | lx is committed to accompanying the laureates in all stages of the project.
More information about Global Project Grant here
Deadline to apply: September 18, 2023
In 2022, Francis of Delirium embarked on three tours: early in the year, a first-ever North American tour as support act for The Districts, with around thirty dates across the USA and Canada, including their first headline gig in New York at Baby’s All Right; the band then supported Briston Maroney across Europe before touring the UK as headliners in the autumn. Francis of Delirium have also released a series of three EPs with The Funhouse, out on 27 April on Dalliance Recordings.
Francesco Tristano released his new album on early music on 11 February 2022 via Sony Classical. The promotion of this album, which marks his return to the baroque repertoire, was accompanied by a series of concerts in Europe and a marketing strategy designed to promote both the release of the album and tour dates in specific territories.
Claire Parsons and Laurent Peckels founded the collective The Aquatic Museum, at the crossroads of pop and chamber music. The collective worked on their eponymous album, which combines jazz harmonies with pop sounds, while retaining the delicacy of chamber music. Alongside this album, an application is currently being developed that will transport users into an aquatic museum and guide them through the rooms of this virtual space.
Previous laureates
2023
Pop/Rock/electro/hip-hop : Josh Island
Jazz/World : Greg Lamy
2022
Pop/Rock/electro/hip-hop : Francis of Delirium
Jazz/World : Claire Parsons
Classical/contemporary : Francesco Tristano
2021
Pop/Rock/electro/hip-hop : TUYS
Jazz/World : Michel Meis 4TET
Classical/contemporary : Cathy Krier
Full program schedule + speakers announced!
Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg is taking up the “next step” workshops initiated in 2021 and is adapting it to the pop/rock/electro world. Kultur | lx will offer artists an inside look and training course dedicated to the pop/rock/electro music market in various territories around the world, starting with the French market on November 29 & 30.
The online workshop will be led by Paris-native Géraldine Zanaska, founder of international music business consultancy, Compass Music. Between earning her master’s degree in Music Business Management from London’s University of Westminster and launching Compass Music, Géraldine has worked for an independent record label, a music venue, a live music promoter, a cultural institution, and the French music export office.
This workshop will address the essential points for developing a strategy to present, market, and promote a project in France. In particular, the workshop will cover the various networks and professionals involved, as well as an overview on the French touring and recording landscape, the challenges and evolution of touring, and the key methods and innovative tools to better promote your project in France.
This interactive training will start each day with a theoretical presentation and will be followed by a round-table discussion and Q&A with French professionals from the pop/rock/electro sector. The goal is also for the participants to come away with actionable advice and have communication-ready assets (like bio and press releases, highlighting what matters locally) once the workshop is finished.
Register here before November 22nd, to secure your spot.
Speakers bio & full programme here
Day 1 – Tuesday 29 November | Marketing & Labels in France
9.45 – 10am – Event introduction by Géraldine Zanaska (Compass Music)
10 – 11.15am – Marketing your music in France effectively | Speaker: Emily Gonneau (Unicum Music)
11.30 – 12.45pm – French labels in 2022: How to get their attention and what do you need to land a deal | Panelists: Melissa Chaulet (Allo Floride) & Jean-Michel Journet (WOOKAI)
12.45pm-1pm – Event conclusion
Day 2 – Wednesday 30 November | Touring in France
9.45 – 10am – Event introduction
10 – 11.15am – The French touring landscape, key actors & specificities | Speaker: Arthur Blanc (Cold Fame)11.30 – 12.45pm – Challenges and evolution of touring in France as as foreign artist, and presenting emerging international artists in France | Panelists: Vincent Nicod (Wart), Sarah Nadifi (Twin Vertigo) and Emilie Davaine (Caramba)
12.45pm – 1pm – Event conclusion
After numerous consultations with the creative sector, it has become clear that in order for the Luxembourgish industry to grow, we need to support active managers working behind the scenes to develop and sustain the artists. This pilot grant has been designed as a two-year grant and offers managers the chance to increase the depth of their professional network and development while aiding them in their pursuit to work more closely with Luxembourgish artists locally and abroad. One of the aims of this grant is to allow managers to build dedicated relationships with the artists in order to further develop their careers (day-to-day activities, negotiating contracts, booking gigs, strategising long term goals, etc.).
For its part, Kultur | lx is committed to accompanying the laureates and has built a mentoring programme with international professionals who will be able to guide the laureates throughout the various stages of this grant. Mentors will come from a variety of backgrounds and countries, specifically within the management sector, and available for bi-monthly consultations with the laureates. In addition, the two laureates will automatically be included in any local or international training initiatives (i.e. educational, workshops, networking events, etc.) brought forth by Kultur | lx. Beneficiaries of the Artist Management Programme will also receive an additional stipend in order to attend up to two international conferences per calendar year.
Deadline to apply : September 4, 2022
More information and application HERE
After a three-year (physical) hiatus due to the global pandemic, Primavera Sound’s Barcelona version is set to take place live-and-in-person, from June 2-12. First starting in 2001, the festival has grown to become one of the largest and most prestigious festivals in the world, let alone Spain and Barcelona. Throughout the event, the state of the music business is debated with the best-known experts in the field, showcasing a number of newcomer bands and also renowned artists from any style or genre, this year including the likes of Tame Impala, Gorillaz, The Strokes, Beck, Tyler The Creator, Little Simz, and hundreds more.
Having been described as one of the most striking new voices from the European underground music scene, Luxembourg’s very own audio-visual artist, Cucina Povera, is gearing up to make her Primavera debut. After studying music at the Conservatoire de Luxembourg, Cucina Povera spent a few years making her mark abroad in Glasgow, also performing at festivals like Rewire and Sonica, and has now returned to live in Luxembourg definitively since early 2020.
Named after the Italian culinary concept which emphasises the use of a few simple ingredients, Cucina Povera conjures gorgeous, otherworldly songs about nourishment and precarity from layered vocals and electronics. Live, her music unfolds beautifully, as beguiling melodies emerge from harmonic drones and looped phrases.
Cucina Povera will join the Primavera event of Barcelona-based DJ, label owner and producer, John Talabot, whose record label Hivern Discs has established itself as one of the most influential labels of the underground Barcelona electronic scene. Catch Cucina Povera Monday, June 6th at Laut as part of Primavera Sound!
Cucina Povera at Primavera Sound
Monday 6 june – 22:15 at Laut, Barcelona
More information HERE.
To celebrate spring as it should be, Kultur | lx presents you the playlist of the month!
May 13, 2022 : C’EST KARMA ‘Amuse-Bouche’ EP
Earlier this year, Multidisciplinary artist, passionate activist, and avid pasta maker, C’est Karma, shared new single, Bubblegum. It’s the first from her newly-announced EP Amuse-Bouche which is set to come out this May. A melting pot of identities, 20-year-old Karma Catena (C’est Karma) was raised in Luxembourg by a Portuguese mother and Italian father. The music she makes goes beyond traditional borders, combining the punk she loved in her mid-teens – NOFX and Jawbreaker – with the hyper-pop – Charlie XCX and SOPHIE – that influences her today.
C’est Karma was supported by Kultur | lx – promotion support
April 2022 : FRANCIS OF DELIRIUM ‘The Funhouse’ EP
Francis of Delirium is gearing up for the release of their third EP, this April via Dalliance Recordings, just as the band finishes their debut 30 date run in North America with The Districts. On the lead single, The Funhouse, she depicts the chaos of life in 2022 in a way unlike she’s ever done before, attributing it with a hallucinogenic and dystopian quality. Speaking about the single, she said: “The Funhouse is largely about how we are adapting to the chaos that is present in our everyday lives. The way it can feel that the world is crashing down around us and in order to protect ourselves, we become numb to the sheer terror of it all. Sort of like walking through a funhouse and attempting to remain unphased by the mayhem that surrounds you.”
The Funhouse has already picked up early press at a number of notable American / International media like Paste, Stereogum, Consequence of Sound, Dork, KEXP, and BBC1 (“Wolf Alice’s darker ego…absolute goosebumps”).
Francis of Delirium is laureate 2022 of Global Project Grant – pop/rock
27.01.2022 : PTOLEMEA, “Wrong Tears”
Alternative rock band PTOLEMEA kicked off 2022 with the release of their new song and video, Wrong tears. Like a shaman on the path of awakening, Priscila Da Costa, singer and founder of the project, creates her future by focusing on the “here and now” and invites ou to join her. Wrong Tears was recorded by Yves Deville Ditsch at Gam Studios in Belgium, mixed and mastered by award-winning sound engineer Alan Douches at West Side Music Studio in New York, USA and written by Priscila Da Costa. The music video was shot at a place full of history in Luxembourg, the Bourscheid forest, and was filmed by Eric Dalele, photographer and videographer from Reunion Island. In a reassuringly obscure style, the video shows Priscila writing a letter to the universe in order to get rid of old patterns and manifest new ones.
Ptolemea was supported by Kultur | lx – promotion support
27.01.2022 : CHAiLD, “For Your Lovin”
On the back of CHAiLD’s dynamic performance at Future Echoes festival, the 22-year old electro-pop artists has released his latest single, For Your Lovin. CHAiLD’s unique, soothing, yet intense voice grabs you by the gut, only to let it go with a rush of exhilaration and a tear in your eye. Catchy hooks and ear-worm melodies ; that’s how CHAiLD has managed to establish himself as one of the most promising and undeniable young artists from the Grand Duchy’s musical landscape. His melancholic universe combines the Italian and Portuguese musical influences he grew up with alongside his own take on modern electro-pop. Think elements of Troye Sivan’s hooks and Woodkid’s cinematography with the attitude of a young Oscar and the Wolf.
27.01.2022 : Lata Gouveia, “Stay The Same” LP
Stay The Same is the third studio album from Lata Gouveia with his current band and it includes 10 original songs. The album is cheerier and more upbeat that Radio Nights and Healed & Gone, perhaps because it was written and produced shortly after Lata became a father. It was recorded at Holtz studios in Luxembourg, co-produced by Charles Stoltz, and includes a collection of musicians, including Jeff Herr on drums, Paul Porcelli on guitar, and Daniela Kruger on bass. Staying true to form, this third album invites the listener to dive into Lata’s American Pop-Rock world, with songs and sounds that are reminiscent of some of 80’s greats such as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, JJ Cale, Billy Idol, and others.
A number of Luxembourgish artists and bands are set to hit the road again as live-events are now finally starting to open up after two years of COVID-related restrictions. 2022 Global Project Grant laureate Francis of Delirium has already kicked off their debut North American tour opening for The Districts, and have just announced a run of EU-support dates with Los Angeles-band La Luz. Rome is a special guest of Irish metal band, Primordial’s cross-European tour, performing 15+ dates this April. Psych-pop band TUYS just announced their FOCUS Wales slot to cap their multi-date UK run in May. Say Yes Dog return with their rescheduled shows (from almost two years ago!) this Spring and electronic-artist Cleveland is gearing up to head to Mexico City’s Anomaly Limited Edition Fest along with a few USA dates. This and much more below!
FRANCIS OF DELIRIUM
Global Project Grant Laureate, 2022
9th March – HMAC, Harrisburg, PA ^
11th March – Mr Smalls Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA ^
12th March – A&R Music Bar, Columbus, OH ^
13th March – Zanzabar, Louisville, KY ^
15th March – Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL ^
16th March – Turf Club, Saint Paul, MN ^
18th March – Bluebird Theatre, Denver, CO ^
19th March – Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT ^
21st March – Neumos, Seattle, WA ^
22nd March – Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR ^
23rd March – Treefort Festival, Boise, ID ^
25th March – August Hall, San Francisco, CA ^
26th March – Lodge Room, LA, CA ^
27th March – Casbah Rock, San Diego, CA ^
29th March – Valley Bar, Phoenix, AZ ^
30th March – MW Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM ^
1st April – Dada Dallas, Dallas, TX ^
2nd April – Mohawk, Austin, TX ^
3rd April – Warehouse Live, Houston, TX ^
5th April – The Basement East, Nashville, TN ^
7th April – El Club, Detroit, MI ^
8th April – Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON ^
9th April – Bar Le Ritz, Montreal, QC ^
10th April – The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA ^
12th April – Space Ballroom, Hamden, CT ^
13th April – 9:30 Club, Washington, DC ^
14th April – Warsaw, Brooklyn, NY ^
16th April – Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA ^
27th April – Baby’s Alright, Brooklyn, NY, * headline show
30th April – Shaky Knees Festival, Atlanta, GA
6th May – Oceanen, Gothenburg, Sweden +
7th May – Hus 7, Stockholm, Sweden +
8th May – Krosset, Oslo, Norway +
9th May – Hotel Cecil, Copenhagen, Denmark +
11th May – Molotow, Hamburg, Germany +
12th May – Frannz Club, Berlin, Germany +
13th May – Manufaktur, Schorndorf, Germany +
14th May – Feierwerk (Hansa39), Munich, Germany +
16th May – Rotondes, Luxembourg, Luxembourg +
19th May – Upload, Barcelona, Spain +
21st May – Dabadaba, San Sebastian, Spain +
^ The Districts, North American support tour
+ La Luz, EU support tour
ROME
12th March – Exclusive Show in Quantic, Bucharest, Romania
8th April – Matrix Konzerte & Rock-Events, Bochum, Germany ^
9th April – Durbuy Rock Festival, Bomal, Belgium ^
11th April – Islington Assembly Hall, London, UK ^
12th April – Le Grillen, Colmar, France ^
13th April – C.C.O Villeurbanne, Lyon, France ^
14th April – La Machine du Moulin Rouge, Paris, France ^
15th April – Konzertfabrik Z7 – Pratteln, Switzerland ^
16th April – MS Connexion Complex, Mannheim, Germany ^
17th April – Dark Easter Metal Meeting, München, Germany ^
18th April – Effenaar, Eindhoven, Netherlands ^
19th April – Lido Berlin, Berlin, Germany ^
20th April – Modernes, Bremen, Germany ^
21st April – Pumpehuset, Copenhagen, Denmark ^
22nd April – Valand Nattklubb, Gothenburg, Sweden ^
23rd April – Slaktkyrkan, Stockholm, Sweden ^
^ Primordial, EU support tour
CLEVELAND
29th April – Horst Arts & Music Festival, Brussels, Belgium
30th April – Anomaly Limited Festival, Mexico City, Mexico
7th May – Public Records, NYC
8th May – Flash, Washington DC
Cleveland was supported by Kultur | lx – Tour support
SAY YES DOG
20th April — Schlachthof, Wiesbaden, Germany
21st April – Tollhaus, Karlsruhe, Germany
22nd April — Merlin, Stuttgart, Germany
23rd April — Kleine Freiheit, Osnabrück, Germany
24th April — Waschhaus, Potsdam, Germany
6th Mai— Huset KB, Copenhagen, Denmark
7th April — Posten, Odense, Denmark
TUYS
Global Project Grant Laureate, 2021
1st May 1 – King Tuts, Glasgow, UK
2nd May – Castle Hotel, Manchester, UK
3rd May – The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham, UK
4th May – The Lanes, Bristol, UK
5th May – The Old Blue Last, London, UK
7th May – Penny Black – FOCUS Wales, Wrexham, UK
JOSH ISLAND
24th March – Hostel | die wohngemeinschaft, Cologne, Germany
26th March – Kunst + Bühne, Celle, Germany
Josh Island was supported by Kultur | lx – Tour support
C’EST KARMA
21st April – c/o pop Festival, Cologne, Germany
|lx finest : Hip-Hop Night
29th April – den Atelier, Luxembourg
General Workshop: February 28, 2022 (open to all applicants)
Mentoring Session: March 2, 2022 (applicants selected by committee)
All dates begin at 10:00am CEST
How do you optimize your profile on streaming platforms? How can you reach the widest audience and drive engagement across key streaming platforms? Find out in our next workshop with Music Ally to learn how to leverage streaming platforms and build your profile with the analytical tools available in Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Studio. You’ll also understand the nuances of marketing artists and music on streaming services.
We look forward to welcoming you to this workshop series on February 28, 2022! Music Ally will also be hosting private mentoring sessions on March 2, 2022 (applicants selected by a committee).
Deadline to apply: February 21, 2022.
Save the dates!
Upcoming workshops:
28/03 – YouTube Masterclass – Timing TBD
19/04 – Direct-to-fan – Timing TBD
23/05 – Short Form Video Masterclass – Timing TBD
20/06 – Livestreaming and social commerce – Timing TBD
Luc Spada, Ptolemea, KLΞIИ, CHAiLD, Jackie Moontan and Fred Barreto, 6 new albums to put under the Christmas tree!
19.11.2021 : LUC SPADA, “Ciao Luca”
Luc Spada creates with words and loves the stage. The Luxembourgish artist writes about the good and the bad of people – confronts their extremes, their enmity, and their abysses – but also acknowledges their beauty. He writes poetry, prose, lyrics, plays and scripts and now has started his career as a singer. From 2008 to 2018, Luc toured Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria and Estonia with literary solo shows and short appearances on reading stages and literary festivals. As an actor, he has also appeared in leading and supporting roles in theater and film productions, but has focused on writing since 2015. His most recent single “Forever Fan (feat. Maz)” was released on September 30th ahead of his first-ever music album, Ciao Luca, which will be released in November 2021.
29.10.2021 : PTOLEMEA, “Mad”
The name Ptolemea is inspired by the astronomer and astrologer Claudius Ptolemeus. He took part in the discussion of the “music of spheres” in which the distance of the planets in the universe was measured by musical intervals. Believing that the expansion of the universe is connected to the expansion of every living soul, Priscila Da Costa chose this name in a willingness to share the key steps of her musical and spiritual path which defines her identity as an artist. The journey started with the first EP Tome I (2018). Looking for authenticity, she kept seeking her true self throughout her second EP “Maze” (2020). With this new single “Mad” she is transitioning into a new artistic direction, letting her music and sound evolve and expand as her life journey takes its turns.
29.10.2021 : KLΞIИ, “Episode”
In his latest project, KLΞIИ works with a veritable array of contrasts in a minimalist setting, slipping into a misty mood of melancholy and dark tones. After releasing their first EP beginning of 2019 and touring for almost 2 years, playing shows in France, Germany, Canada, India, South Korea, Laos,and Ukraine among others, 2021 marks a first break for KLΞIИ into a creative process where they will release a new album on December 10, 2021 via Cristal Records. Their new single, “Episode” bears witness to the times when one struggles against his own sense of self-worth. A time when the individual assesses his place in the world and wonders if the contributions he intends to make, whether through daily actions or through his art, have any value for society. “Episode” marks a very important stage in KLΞIИ’s evolution, as it is more of a song than a composition. This is the first time that Jerome Klein has been heard to pose his voice, adding a stronger meaning to the title using text and sung melodies.
24.10.2021 : CHAiLD, “Ocean Boy”
On the back of CHAiLD’s dynamic performance with Maz at Kulturfabrik, the 22-year old electro-pop artists has released his latest single, “Ocean Boy.” CHAiLD’s unique, soothing, yet intense voice grabs you by the gut, only to let it go with a rush of exhilaration and a tear in your eye. Catchy hooks and ear-worm melodies ; that’s how CHAiLD has managed to establish himself as one of the most promising and undeniable young artists from the Grand Duchy’s musical landscape. His melancholic universe combines the Italian and Portuguese musical influences he grew up with alongside his own take on modern electro-pop. Think elements of Troye Sivan’s hooks and Woodkid’s cinematography with the attitude of a young Oscar and the Wolf.
15.10.2021 : JACKIE MOONTAN, “The Longest Sunday in History”
The Longest Sunday In History is about the story of Jackie Moontan living his life locked down as a never ending Sunday. “Wishbone”, the first track of the EP, introduces this new monotonous life in which he’s going to try to keep some glitter by putting on his “Eau de Cologne” and singing in his “makeshift microphone”. Despite that, he has to face himself and everything that can pervert him : greed in “Butter” and the risks he takes to buy a cabbage or a pudding, putting his life in danger because of the virus while the world is standstilling ; avarice and the vortex of a telephone that he can’t afford but still buys, bringing him in both extreme consumption and emptiness of social networks in a world that doesn’t have art or live shows anymore ; and finally lust in “Crystal Roof” that combines all the vices he developed during this locked down time, the bad boy he becomes when he braves what’s forbidden and the rejection of being alone, dreaming about his “top story on his IG”.
01.10.2021 : FRED BARRETO GROUP, “Moving On”
You may be familiar with the Brazilian but now Luxembourg-based guitarist, Fred Barreto, who has performed alongside Blues-legend Archie Lee Hooker. His very own Fred Barreto Group features Daniel Fastro on bass, Michael Stein on drums and Nadja Prange on organ and has now been around for 10 years, playing countless concerts with their own style of Blues-based Rock. Their debut album, Moving On, highlights the rock’n’roll foundation of the band around Barreto as a guitarist, singer and frontman. Overdrive guitar riffs, the original Hammond organ and a solid rhythm section define this anthem for life and love. Moving On was recorded, produced and mixed by Mike Butcher (Black Sabbath, Marvin Gaye and Rod Steward) and released on October 1, 2021.
18.11.2021 : JOSH ISLAND, ” Love Don’t Come Easy”
Luxembourg-based singer-songwriter Josh Island has performed over 300 shows across Europe, including supports for James Morrison, Mighty Oaks and Charlie Cunningham. Starting out in the local pub circuit aged 15, he quickly gained recognition as a vocal powerhouse, honest storyteller and entertainer. Blending his love for different genres in the styles of Dave Matthews, Sting or John Mayer, he released his second EP “Love Don’t Come Easy”, produced by Nelson Canoa (Carminho, Sara Tavares).
Following his recent signing with Belgium-booking and management agency, Culte, and the release of his “hypnotic ‘Gamma’ EP (– Ransom Note), Cleveland was selected to perform at ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) 2021. Culte Agency took over Cafe murmur, in collaboration with Kiosk Radio, and presented 12 artists from their roster playing from 2pm till midnight.
ADE is the most upfront, influential and educational gathering for electronic music and its industry. With its conference, festival and educational breeding ground, ADE is able to create not only the biggest yearly industry tent-pole moment, but also a solid foundation for future generations of electronic music professionals. The event attracts a total of more than 1,000 events in nearly 200 locations across its multidisciplinary program; for five days and nights, the city of Amsterdam truly breathes electronic music.
Watch Cleveland’s ADE set here.
Don’t miss Cleveland’s future gigs (including a set in Luxembourg!)
- – Fuse – Bruxelles
- – Multiplica Festival – Luxemburg
- – IBOAT – Bordeaux