TUYS | Everyday Soleil
Single release: March, 10 | TWO STEPS TWICE records
Everyday Soleil is a track about the sunlight that a relationship can bring to our lives. The song comes with a new part of TUYS’ upcoming short film
“Reality Management Ltd.” in which TUYS turn into a company selling realities to frustrated clients. The band has performed at the last editions of festivals such as Reeperbahn Festival, Iceland Airwaves or ESNS and will tour Europe in May after the release of their album. The latest single “Look Alive” has been playlisted in All New Rock (US), Indie Goesting (on the cover), New Music Friday BE or All New Noise.
«Tour mates of The 1975, Everything Everything and Imagine Dragons, TUYS are kicking off their 2023 with a stellar new single, ‘Look Alive’» – House of Solo
Pleasing | feed me to those I envy the most
Single release: February, 14 | TWO STEPS TWICE records
EP release: April, 7 | TWO STEPS TWICE records
“feed me to those I envy the most” is Pleasing’s second single of the upcoming EP titled “for us to escape”. The tale started with “the structure’s above” where a divine being descends to question Patrick’s pursuit for meaning. This time, Pleasing unleashed noisy synths, uncontrollable screams and melodic atmospheres to throw back any frustration at one’s biggest judge: Yourself. From feelings of inferiority to egocentric and bitter behavior, the judge will use every expectation you have towards yourself to bring you down.
“Pleasing has achieved a master stroke: his new song makes depression tangible without trivialising it.” – Kulturnews
Sheebaba | bruit_RE
bruit_RE digital release: February, 24 | Katalog records
bruit/bruit_RE physical vinyl release: March, 14 | Katalog records
During the recording and production of their debut EP “bruit” in early 2022, Sheebaba quickly realised that the material they gathered is capable of more than just what they are able to do with it. The universe of Sheebaba is ever expanding and so are the possibilities of their output. In order to reveal what their songs can become if interpreted by someone else, Sheebaba gave the stems to some of their favourite artists from Luxembourg, Germany and the UK and let them run wild with it. The result is an EP that flows in the same vein as the group‘s usual work, yet coming from a bunch of different angles.
Seed to Tree | Major Lydian
Single release: March, 17 | Pop-up records
On their new single Major Lydian, Seed to Tree is taking a new turn on their musical journey, walking down the memory lane of new wave and dream pop. Their newest song is loaded with pop-cultural references hinting at David Bowie, The Talking Heads or 90s cult movie Trainspotting. But besides being an homage to all the influences that have been part of the band’s history, the song is mainly a realisation that the band Seed to Tree has become more than the sum of all their inspirations. After playing music together for more than a decade, the four musicians are finding their comfort of a home town in creating songs together that have an identity on their own.
ENGLBRT | Harm
Single release: February, 24 | Listenrecords
Both musicians draw on a long legacy of omnivorous instrumental and genre-bending music, with a sound that is slow and widescreen, incorporating elements of electronica, contemporary jazz and well-crafted indie-pop. As if working from a lab setting, the duo composed by Georges Goerens and Niels Engel, isolates samples from their common musical lexicon to unearth hidden relationships, always leading to the discovery of enticing combinations. Those first experiments and songs shaped the nature of the collaboration resulting in their debut EP Odes to Everything to be released on the Berlin-based label Listenrecords in 2023. Taking cues from the endless scroll of everyday life, ENGLBRT delivers a dazzling soundtrack to our accelerated culture, shaping new sonic possibilities in the process.
Josh Island | Rewind
Single release: March, 17
Album release: September, 15
With “Rewind” Josh calls on listeners to take a step back when things don’t work out: “We all have moments that we worry about what’s next, a fear of failure. Sometimes you’re not comfortable with a situation, things don’t go to plan or you’re simply unsure what steps to take. Take a step back – and start over again.”
This theme not only comes up in the lyrics, but also in the song’s arrangement, with lots of reverse effects and repetitive riffs. Rewind is a pop-rock track full of driving guitars, rhythmic vocals and a massive, crescendo finale. The single was produced once again by Nelson Canoa (Sara Tavares, Carminho), who also produced Josh’s last EP and upcoming album. Musicians from The Black Mamba (Eurovision 2021) formed his studio band during recordings.
CHAiLD | Close to You
Single release: March 17 | Beast records
Close to you is a romantic sing along in the car pop song. It is about the genuineness of the first love and how it makes us feel like we’re on top of the world. Along the lines of Julia Michaels and Tate McRae, imagine this song to be a warm and nostalgic ray of sunshine as we’re slowly coming out of winter.
CHAiLD | Urgent Care EP
EP realease: April 14 | Beast records
“This world just seems a bit too heavy sometimes. I seek shelter in my inner world, my dreams and my imagination. As I close my eyes, my mind slows down and I feel myself fading away to peaceful places. “Urgent care” is a collection of songs about vulnerability and healing from trauma through honesty with oneself and others.
I wrote it in a time where I felt hopeless, and in which songwriting was my way to cope with my anxiety. In a way, making this record was my “urgent care”” – CHAiLD
MAZ | LAST DAY
Single release: February 17 | Beast records
LAST DAY is Maz’ second single of his “EMO SEASON EP” campaign. It’s a song about trying to enjoy every last bit of every single day because it might be your last. « There’s not enough time in this life to play a fake and restricted version of who you really are ; free yourselves! ». This is a one of the brighter tracks in the rather dark Univerze of Maz, combining pop and punk-rock elements which will make people feel like it’s summer during the cold and dark winter.
EDSUN | Carter
Release : March 24 | Beast records
“Artists get taken advantage of a lot of the time. This is a reminder to ask for what is yours. As an eye witness I can say that we are getting tired of excuses. Business is Business, now cut my check.”- EDSUN
Bach Stage, Francesco Tristano and Leo Margue (Scala Music)
Release on March 3rd, 2023 on Scala Music.
“He used to play Bach concertos standing, with energy and vivacity! With this album, pianist Francesco Tristano shakes all our habits. Have we ever listened to these concertos with such an obsessive rhythmic, with 2022-composed cadences, and with such a young and committed ensemble? Without disavowing the interpretations from the past, it is a real slap in the face that awakens our vision of the cantor’s work.”
Johann Sebastian Bach, Concerto No. 1 in D minor BWV 1052
Johann Sebastian Bach, Concerto No. 4 in A major BWV 1055
Johann Sebastian Bach, Concerto No. 7 in G minor BWV 1058
Source: Scala Music
The Aquatic Museum, Claire Parsons & Laurent Peckels – Global Project Grant laureate 2022
Upcoming singles to come. Stay tuned.
A genre-breaking project, The Aquatic Museum skilfully combines the colour palettes of jazz harmony, the delicacy of a chamber ensemble, and the energy of a pop band. Carefully crafted compositions take us on a journey that reinvents the sound of pop delicately weaving moving lyrics with a spectrum falling between the poles of minimalism, the epic, and everything in between. This is chamber pop.
The collective – founded by singer-songwriter Claire Parsons (UK/LU), musician and app developer Laurent Peckels (LU) and in praise of folly violist Nicole Miller (US) – extends beyond European borders bringing together an arsenal of individually accomplished musicians and multimedia artists to bring the album, live concept and app to life striven by the determination to go beyond conventional ways of creating, releasing and performing music.
First single Large Pleasure Watercraft and Trash Tub are available on all platforms. To watch the videoclips directed by Jeanne Held, click here.
Source: The Aquatic Museum
Prismatica, Pascal Schumacher & Goldmund Quartet
Vinyl release on March 31, 2023 under Berlin Classics
“Last summer, I took some time to imagine how to translate the reflections and the different faces of a prism after a commission for string quartet by Goldmund Quartet cellist Raphael Paratore. It was quite a challenge. My new composition “Prismatica” comes as a result of these explorations, and is available on all streaming platforms. In spring, a physical release on vinyl is planned under Berlin Classics.”
Source: Pascal Schumacher
CTRL Variations, Pascal Schumacher, Michel Welfringer, Ian Monk & United Instruments of Lucilin
Vinyl release on April 28th, 2023. More info on the release concert here.
“Is it a love story? Undoubtedly. Is it a play about the strange relationship between people and their computers? Likewise (after all, among other things, quite a few annoying spam mails are given musical honours in it). Is it experimental literature? Certainly, at least in part, because one of the actors from the Oulipo circle of authors around Raymond Queneau and Georges Perec is involved in it. Is it film music for an abstract film with letters instead of actors? In a way, that too (as Pascal Schumacher says? “Film music is cooler to write than other music anyway.”).
When jazz musician and composer Pascal Schumacher, typographer Michel Welfringer and writer Ian Monk join forces to write variations on CTRL (control? the control key? the sounds C, T, R and L? the letters?) for the ensemble United Instruments of Lucilin, a kind of controlled loss of control is preprogrammed.”
Source: United Instruments of Lucilin for 33,7
Coming home, Mathieu Clément
Release on March 24th, 2023, Double Moon Records (Challenge Records) in the series JazzThing Next Generation.
In February 2022, the young drummer Mathieu Clément recorded his first album Coming Home, to be released on March 24th 2023 under Double Moon Records (Challenge Records) in the Jazz Thing Next Generation Series. The music he writes, which can be described as straight ahead/modern jazz, reminds of the compositions of Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter or Thelonious Monk. A first tour (16-28 March) will bring him to Cologne, Luxembourg, Mainz, Dresden, Leipzig, Nürnberg, Vienna and Salzburg.
Source: Mathieu Clément
Mozart : Piano Sonatas Vol. 4, Jean Muller
Release on March 3rd on Hänssler Classic.
Jean Muller just published the fourth volume of Mozart’s complete piano sonatas, after the publication of the first three albums, which were widely praised by the press. This new album makes us discover sonatas no. 7, 13, and 15, and “place the pianist in the first rank of important Mozart interpreters” (Pizzicato.lu)
Whether in French, German or Luxembourgish, literature or other genres, here is a small overview of what you will discover in bookshops at the beginning of the year!
Jean Portante, Une dernière fois, la Méditerranée
Editions Phi, January 2023, Fiction, French
Une dernière fois, la Méditerranée closes the trilogy opened in 2015 with L’architecture des temps instables and extended in 2019 with Leonardo. The Nardelli of Mrs Haroy ou la mémoire de la baleine , who became Rossi in the course of writing, will thus be found, as well as Jean Portante’s favourite themes: migration, war, generational mixing, secrets buried in the layers of time, the skilful amalgam of fiction and autobiography. And this time, a diversion through the founding myths of travel and exile.
Tom Reisen, Discours sur la littérature 09
CNL, October 2022, Essay, French
Tom Reisen’s work questions, among other things, the relationship to time and reality by relying on the mechanisms and possibilities of narration. Articulated in two stages, his discourse first focuses on the personal practice of writing, its memorial, intertextual and autobiographical aspects. The reflection then extends to the Luxembourg literary field in order to raise questions and propose theoretical paths in the context of a literary history that has yet to be written.
Claudine Muno, Dëst ass net däi Liewen
Op der lay, November 2022, Children’s literature, Luxembourgish
Dëst ass net däi Liewen follows a young narrator who meets Jan on the bus and decides to follow him, even though he is not her style. She approaches him on the bus, close enough to determine that he smells of soap, but not close enough to hear the music playing in his headphones.
Susanne Jaspers & Denis Scuto (HG.), This Hard Minett Land
capybarabooks, November 2022, Short stories, German, english, french and luxembourgish
This Hard Minett Land is an invitation to a very special journey through southern Luxembourg: some forty writers and historians have been inspired by the songs of Bruce Springsteen to write about the Luxembourg-Lorraine mining area, about those who live there and have lived there, who were born there or immigrated there, who worked there, loved there, dreamed there, hoped there, struggled there, succeeded – or failed.
With stories from : Jean Back, Ulrike Bail Jean Back, Ulrike Bail, Serge Basso de March, Romain Butti, Michel Clees, Anja Di Bartolomeo, Andreas Fickers, Tullio Forgiarini, Claude Frisoni, Piero Galloro, Gast Groeber, Julia Harnoncourt, Guy Helminger, Nico Helminger, Tom Hengen, Jhemp Hoscheit, Susanne Jaspers, Jean-Marc Lantz Marc Limpach, Charel Meder, Roland Meyer, Claudine Muno, Gérard Noiriel, Gilles Ortlieb, Luciano Pagliarini, Antoine Pohu, Jean Portante, Irene Portas, Jérôme Quiqueret, Anne-Marie Reuter, Daniel Richter, Nathalie Ronvaux, Fatima Rougi, Jeff Schinker, Denis Scuto, Jens van de Maele, Nora Wagener
EHTL, Mmmmh – Des recettes végétales gourmandes pour bien manger
EHTL – École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme du Luxembourg, Diekirch, December 2022, cookbook, french and english
Two chefs and teachers, Steve Lentz covering savoury dishes and Carole Goerend covering sweet dishes, have devised and produced 59 recipes that are entirely plant-based and almost 100% vegan. Gourmet dishes and desserts, inspired by their experiences, discoveries and travels, accessible to all.
The year 2023 starts with a couple of releases in classical/contemporary music and jazz!
Naama Liany – Daydream (Origin Records)
Liany’s new album, Daydream, is a stunning example, bringing together works on the subject of dreams by Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, Federico Mompou and Albena Petrovic. The album was developed with the support of the prestigious Philharmonie Luxembourg and recorded at their magnificent facilities with the help of an award from the country’s Ministry of Culture. Dreaming is an apt subject for Liany, whose parents recall her waking up at the age of four and recalling a dream where she sang in front of a crowd of joyful listeners. The repertoire is comprised of hand-picked, rarely performed pieces by 20th which are tied into one unifying theme. The repertoire speaks of the experiences one may go through the night, through dreams, and at dawn. The solitude of night resembles the solitude that was forced on the musicians, without their audiences. From this solitude came the great motivation of creating this exciting program. Some of the pieces are not always the easiest to digest musically and are challenging harmonically, lyrically, and conceptually, just like any other 20th-century art. However, it is Liany’s goal and knowledge from previous programs, to make it accessible and relevant to the broad public. Musically speaking, the repertoire presents clear playful melodies which are accompanied by somehow awkward, dissonant-colored piano chords. This constant dissonance is similar to dreams where the plot might make sense to the dreamer, but with displaced backgrounds and situations.
Release date: 13 January 2023
Source: Naama Liany
supported by Kultur | lx – promotion support
Raíz, Triana y Luca
Merging melancholic melodies inspired by folkloric music, Raíz is Triana y Luca’s first single original single from their upcoming debut EP. With powerful vocals, sublime guitar, and the accompaniment of a string ensemble, Raíz is a forceful yet delicate composition which tells of a compelling story on migration. Bringing listeners on a journey of blended cultural sonority, Raíz is intimate and emotive.
Raíz was composed by the duo with a string arrangement by Latin Grammy award winning arranger Gustavo Jaramillo Pimentel. Recorded at Tritone Studios (LU) and produced by Mike Butcher (producer of Black Sabbath, Rod Stewart, Jaco Pastorius), it is part of their 5 song debut EP which is set to be released in June 2023.
Release date: 13 January 2023
Phase O, Phase O (Badass Yogi Productions)
Recorded during the summer-heatwave of 2018 “Phase 0” is the result of a few sessions of improvised music at Rameldange’s famous “Ricording Studios”. Gathering musicians from different musical worlds the music on this album is a real journey, going from mysterious atmospheres over free-jazz to stoner rock.
Dedicated to the memory of Itaru Oki and Steve Kaspar who were masters of free-jazz and soundcollages themselves, this album is almost alchemistic in its trying to establish music within utter chaos.”
Release date: 29 November 2022
Credits:
Renata van der Vyver , Viola
Pichel Pilz, Bass clarinet
Paul Gehl, Guitar
Vedran Mùtic, Bass
Benoît Martiny, Drums
Rico Querin, Soundcontrols
Auke Triesschijn, Coverdesign
Rico Querin, Mix and Mastering
MAZ | “School Reunion”
New music video Released December 14, 2022
“School Reunion” is the latest single and accompanying video from Luxembourgish rapper, MAZ, prominently featuring his singing/vocals for the first time. Speaking of the track, MAZ described in a recent social media post that “School Reunion” is about letting go and celebrating the people that we’ve become. It’s about confidence and actually feeling cool now. It’s about letting go of the self-hatred and those embarrassing moments, letting go of the pain that some people cause with their words and intentions. This song is also a shout out to the “weird” kids and a “f%*k you” to the bullies.” Catch MAZ Friday, January 20th at Eurosonic (21:30 at Grand Theatre Main). More info here.
Scarred | “p A t i E n C e” EP
Released December 2, 2022
Crushing live performances, relentless energy and a tidal wave of melodic atmospheres and ear-catching hooks have made Scarred one of the standard-bearers for the Luxembourgish metal community. Originally a thrash metal project, the band was formed in 2003 by drummer Laurent Kessel and guitarist Diogo Bastos. Drawing on a broad range of influences from the periphery of the metal spectrum (Pink Floyd, Tool…), their sound has matured into a feral blend of technical extremes fused with 90’s metal, creating a proliferate buzz around this five-piece.
After releasing their long awaited self-titled LP in January 2021, Scarred retreated into a cabin in the woods to write new music. The band wanted to relinquish control and see what would come out if they isolated themselves from the outside world. As described in a recent announcement, “there were no pre-written riffs, ideas or lyrics. No blast-beats, no double bass. We only had a variety of instruments, our voices and an open mind at our disposal. It’s always difficult to put music into words but terms such as “psychedelic”, “atmospheric”, “emotional” and “hypnotic” would definitely come to mind as far as describing this 4-song EP called ‘p A t i E n C e,'” released December 2, 2022 via Klonosphere.
ROME | “Hegemonikon” LP
Released November 25, 2022
‘Hegemonikon’ is ROMEs 17th album and holds a few daring surprises: On this new album, the influences of electronica and new wave have shaped ROME’s trademark guitar-based dark folk into a new beast by adding a subtle touch of post-punk synth-rock to the mix. Ever since the band’s inception by Luxembourg-born mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Jerome Reuter in 2005, ROME has displayed a resilience and constitution found only in Olympic athletes when it comes to releasing hard-hitting, bullet-proof albums every single year.
“Hegemonikon is only 37 minutes in length, but the 11 songs that are on offer provide a stunningly unique and interesting blend of electronica, industrial, folk, and post-punk synths. It is evident that Reuter has no boundaries or limits, his creativity unbounded.” – Metal Talk
TUYS | “Yellow Ether”
Released November 18, 2022 (part of forthcoming LP, out Q2 2023)
What if reality becomes a service? And what if discussions distort? In their upcoming album (due out in 2023) and short film, TUYS turn into Reality Management Ltd., a company selling realities to frustrated clients. With “Yellow Ether,” the first of such realities is revealed.
Yellow Ether is a track about missed conversations. “It is a collage of a song about our former drummer’s departure (after being in the band for more than 10 years) and also the story of a guy I was dating, who would always leave quite early in the morning,” says Tun Biever. In its video, we follow the first of Reality Management Ltd’s clients into their reality. Rilke Bomann, a German researcher in the field of truth serums, wants her drug to be finally approved. At the end, it’s up to the audience to decide the continuation. Catch TUYS Wednesday, January 18th at Eurosonic (23:35 – 00:15 at News Café). More info here.
Josh Island | “Pennies From Heaven”
Released November 11, 2022 (part of debut album due out September 2023)
2023 Global Project Grant laureate Josh Island is gearing up to release his debut album in September 2023. As a vocal powerhouse, soulful songwriter and engaging live performer, Josh Island has been steadily growing a loyal fan base across Western Europe. He draws inspirations from Sting, Dave Matthews Band or John Mayer, a dynamic blend of singer-songwriter pop with influences of soul and folk. But at its core lies Josh’s unique ability to connect with the crowd – no matter how small or large the venue, his interactive shows remain printed in memory forever.
His latest single “Pennies From Heaven” is a song about cherishing the moment. “What is our relationship with time? What would life be like if it could stand still, and what would you do?”
PTOLEMEA | “Balanced Darkness”
Released October 28, 2022 (part of debut album due out January 21, 2023)
After unveiling her single “Fado,” Priscila Da Costa presents “Balanced Darkness,” the title track off her first album to be released at Rockhal on January 21, 2023.
In line with the two previous singles, “Inspiration” representing the Earth element, then “Fado” illustrating the Fire element, “Balanced Darkness” dives into the Water element. Balanced Darkness shows a connection with nature and our own consciousness. This creation invites us to take a new look at the world and at ourselves, and to embark on a path of exploration and transformation through PTOLEMEA’s mystic sound and visuals. The melody drags us into the depths of the ocean and the message is clear : it is possible to find balance (Balanced) by welcoming the dark parts (Darkness) of our soul.
PTOLEMEA is representing Luxembourg in the EXCITE network in 2023.
Catch her January 21, 2023 at the Rockhal Club where she’ll perform the new record live.
DasRADIAL | “MIKRO_WELLE”
Released October 21, 2022
DasRADIAL 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 a 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.
DasRADIAL is representing Luxembourg in the EXCITE network in 2023. Expect more music to come next year!
Serge Tonnar | “Jo An Amen” LP
Released October 15, 2022
Luxembourg legend Serge Tonnar has released his latest album, “Jo An Amen,” (translated to “Yes and Amen”). Tonnar’s new work is like an album of sonorous photographs taken in the pandemic years 2020 to 2022 and asks the question of the value of life in the eyes of a rebel, a fighter who goes his way, far away from the Extremism of all kinds, a Don Quixote of culture, just to remain a humanist. It’s a task the artist himself says seems to be getting more and more difficult.
In November 2021, the musician and activist himself contacted the “Mouvement Ecologique” to propose a joint project around one of the songs from the album, “Gëff mer nach eng Chance.” The idea is to combine art with social commitment and thus contribute to a better world, such is the idealistic ambition of this common project. More information can be found here.
The Ferocious Few | “Compassion”
Released October 14, 2022 (part of their forthcoming EP, “Only Time Will Tell,” due out February 17, 2023)
Americana punk-rockers The Ferocious Few blend high-paced rock ’n’ roll, folk lyrics, a punk edge and a rockabilly sensibility. Think Johnny Cash meets Nirvana. Their rousing guitar riffs and drum kicks have caught the attention of larger stages and festivals such as Coachella, SXSW, Lightning In A Bottle, Burning Man, Noise Pop, and most recently Reeperbahn Festival. Their latest single, “Compassion,” is part of their forthcoming EP, “Only Time Will Tell,” due out February 17, 2023.
Frontman Francisco Fernandez says the lyrics behind their latest single are an “open call for Compassion, to understand why we fail to empathise and love, no matter the circumstances. As musicians and culture creators, we are in a constant fight for attention, our data to be collected and analysed to create better products and manipulate emotions. Compassion is a call to transform these tools into ways to help each other, not just profit. To come back home to ourselves to our purpose, not just stop at the facade of what is being sold to us.’
CHECK OUT MORE OF THE LATEST LUXEMBOURGISH RELEASES VIA THE “MADE IN LUXEMBOURG” SPOTIFY PLAYLIST. ADDITIONAL RELEASES FROM SIXO, NOSI, SEED TO TREE, CHAILD, TURNUP TUN, AND MORE :
Zala & Val Kravos Piano Duet
This album follows Zala Kravos’ first album, recorded in 2017. This new project is based on the long-term collaboration between Zala Kravos and her brother Val as a piano duet. Since their youngest age, both pianists regularly perform together, also on the international scale. This album features a wide range of repertoires that reveal the technical and performing qualities of the duo, notably through Schubert’s Fantasia in F Minor, considered as a monument in the field of four-hands piano repertoire. The album ends with a contemporary piece by the French composer Françoise Choveaux, showing the taste of Zala and Val for the unexpected and the experimentation.
Complete programme:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata in D Minor KV 381 (123a)
Franz Schubert, Fantasia in F Minor D 940
Georges Bizet, Children’s Games Op. 22
Françoise Choveaux, Poem Op. 269
Available on Ars Production in November. Physical release on November 4th, Digital release on November 18th.
Daniel Migliosi : Left on scene – newcomer jazz
Daniel Migliosi, a trumpet player from Luxembourg’s new generation of jazz, will release his first album Left on scene, recorded with musicians he met during his studies in Cologne and which pays tribute to the hard-bop tradition: “The musicans who took part in this album are friends, Daniel explains “In 2020 we were still able to do a lot together despite Corona. We jammed, hung out a lot and got to know each other really well.”. The result of this artistic friendship is an album that includes some hidden pop elements. Indeed, what matters to Daniel is to attract the attention of jazz amateurs, but also those who might not be familiar with this type of music.
Release on November 4th on Mons Records.
ROME “Hegemonikon” LP (due out November 25, 2022)
‘Hegemonikon’ is ROMEs 17th album and holds a few daring surprises: On this new album, the influences of electronica and new wave have shaped ROME’s trademark guitar-based dark folk into a new beast by adding a subtle touch of post-punk synth-rock to the mix. Ever since the band’s inception by Luxembourg-born mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Jerome Reuter in 2005, ROME has displayed resilience and constitution found only in Olympic athletes when it comes to releasing hard-hitting, bullet-proof albums every single year.
The album delivers iconic, synth-driven hymns like ‘No Second Troy’, ‘Solar Caesar’ and ‘Hearts Mend’, by which ROME enhances its already vast sonic universe.’ Hegemonikon’ is steeped in high drama, each track spilling into the next like a dystopian opera. With its themes of defiance, the holy and the vertical, this masterpiece is a new landmark for the band. What keeps ROME relevant is its constant dealings with matters of the European soul in an ever-changing modern world. ‘Hegemonikon’ is a bold musical statement and demonstrates that ROME, in its 17th year of existence, is not content to coast on the coattails of their back catalogue, but is able to surprise its vast audience with another hard-hitting album made of anthemic songs.
Scarred “p A t i E n C e” EP
Crushing live performances, relentless energy and a tidal wave of melodic atmospheres and ear-catching hooks have made Scarred one of the standard-bearers for the Luxembourgish metal community. Originally a thrash metal project, the band was formed in 2003 by drummer Laurent Kessel and guitarist Diogo Bastos. Drawing on a broad range of influences from the periphery of the metal spectrum (Pink Floyd, Tool…), their sound has matured into a feral blend of technical extremes fused with 90’s metal, creating a proliferate buzz around this five-piece.
After releasing their long awaited self-titled LP in January 2021, Scarred retreated into a cabin in the woods to write new music. The band wanted to relinquish control and see what would come out if they isolated themselves from the outside world. As described in a recent announcement, “there were no pre-written riffs, ideas or lyrics. No blast-beats, no double bass. We only had a variety of instruments, our voices and an open mind at our disposal. It’s always difficult to put music into words but terms such as “psychedelic”, “atmospheric”, “emotional” and “hypnotic” would definitely come to mind as far as describing this 4-song EP called ‘p A t i E n C e,'” due out December 2, 2022.
TUYS “Open Ears On A Straitjacket Party” (part of forthcoming LP, out 2023)
What if reality becomes a service? And what if discussions distort? In their upcoming album (due out in 2023) and short film, TUYS turn into Reality Management Ltd., a company selling realities to frustrated clients. It is scheduled to be released over the course of the next eight months and aimed at discussing alternative truths in times of echo chambers and polarisation.
The first single to be released from the LP, “Open Ears On A Straitjacket Party,” is a song as confusing as both its title and the year it was written in (2020). It is a track about distorted public discussion and the entanglement of subjective and objective realities. The video reveals the back office of Reality Management Ltd. and the short film’s protagonist Thomas Tank.
Seed To Tree “Rip-Off Game”
Combining thoughtful lyrics with catchy melodies is what four musicians from Luxembourg have been doing for more than ten years now. Melancholy with lightness, welcome to the indie-pop band Seed to Tree.
On the new single Rip-Off Game, the Luxembourgers move along dream-pop paths, combining acoustic folk elements from their early musical phase with analogue synthesizers and spherical guitars. After their successful album Proportions in 2019 with over 5 million streams and many international support shows for bands such as Beirut, The Temper Trap, James Bay, Snow Patrol and Tears For Fears, Seed to Tree also strike new musical paths on Rip-Off Game.
CHAiLD “Italo Daddy”
On the back of CHAiLD’s recent signing with Beast Records, the 24-year old electro-pop artist has released his latest single, “Italo Daddy.” 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.
Speaking of the single, CHAiLD mentioned in a recent post that “this one is for the younger me who thought he would never belong. It’s for young Adriano who thought something was wrong with him, who spent years and years scared and ashamed of himself. I’m turning 24 today, but I really feel like life has just started.”
The Ferocious Few “Compassion”
Americana punk-rockers The Ferocious Few blend high-paced rock ’n’ roll, folk lyrics, a punk edge and a rockabilly sensibility. Think Johnny Cash meets Nirvana. They pull decades of the human experience directly into their sound and show, having performed national tours opening for artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Moby, Shooter Jennings, Billy Idol, The Led Zeppelin Experience with Jason Bonham, and a surplus of noteworthy acts. Their rousing guitar riffs and drum kicks have caught the attention of larger stages and festivals such as Coachella, SXSW, Lightning In A Bottle, Burning Man, Noise Pop, and most recently the Reeperbahn Festival.
Frontman Francisco Fernandez says the lyrics behind their latest single are an “open call for Compassion, to understand why we fail to empathise and love, no matter the circumstances. As musicians and culture creators, we are in a constant fight for attention, our data to be collected and analysed to create better products and manipulate emotions. Compassion is a call to transform these tools into ways to help each other, not just profit. To come back home to ourselves to our purpose, not just stop at the facade of what is being sold to us.’
PTOLEMEA “Fado”
Priscila Da Costa (a.k.a. PTOLEMEA) presents her new single and videoclip, “Fado,” which she has chosen to perform in her mother tongue, Portuguese. The release of Ptolemea’s debut album, planned for January 2023, is getting close… Far from the image of traditional fado, this intense title with mysterious sounds and images, defines more and more PTOLEMEA’s musical identity.
Recorded by Sacha Hanlet (aka Falcon the Producer, Them Lights), Fado was mixed by Charel Stoltz (Holz Sound, LU) and mastered by Jon Tornblom from ‘Transparent-mastering (CA) and written by Priscila Da Costa. It was in Luxembourg that she wanted to shoot this new music video: the lights of the city in the distance, an incipient fire at the edge of the fields…
PTOLEMEA celebrates their fifth anniversary this year and continues to advance on the path of its destiny with an ever more bewitching pagan rock, dark folk sound. This new single “Fado” confirms the musical intentions and the vision of the artist.
Edsun “Who I Am”
EDSUN is a multidimensional force from Luxembourg combining contemporary dance and R&B to create bold and uplifting Art. His inspiration comes from energy sources like SZA, Jannelle Monae and Beyoncé with his abundant creativity and artistic direction best expressed in his live shows and visuals. EDSUN strives to be remembered as a performer that stood up for something, a badass risk taker, incorporating social issues deeply into his art, effectively creating a discourse around subjects. During a successful summer festival season, Edsun released this new single “Who I Am” and recently announced his official signing with Beast Records.
Josh Island “Make It”
As a vocal powerhouse, soulful songwriter and engaging live performer, Josh Island has been steadily growing a loyal fan base across Western Europe. He draws inspirations from Sting, Dave Matthews Band or John Mayer, a dynamic blend of singer-songwriter pop with influences of soul and folk. But at its core lies Josh’s unique ability to connect with the crowd – no matter how small or large the venue, his interactive shows remain printed in memory forever.
For his latest EP, ‘Love Don’t Come Easy’, Josh travelled to Portugal to work with producer Nelson Canoa (Sara Tavares, Carminho, Rita Guerra), with contributions by members of The Black Mamba (Eurovision 2021) and renowned arranger Luis Figueiredo. The singles ‘Fire In You’ and ‘Love Don’t Come Easy’ achieved national airplay in Germany and Luxembourg. Out of this collaboration flourished true international friendships – and Josh and Nelson continue to work together today.
His latest single “Make It” is about going your own way, no matter what other people say. His debut album is expected in the Fall of 2023.
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Invitation – Guided Walk
A guided walk in Lyon—from place Sathonay to 8 Bis Quai Saint-Vincent—will mark the launch of a new book by artist Yann Annicchiarico, De papillons de nuit et de l’échelle de Muybridge. The Contemporary Art and Temporalities of History (ACTH) research department at the Lyon Ecole des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA) and Kultur | lx invite you to join the conversation between curator Sofia Eliza Bouratsis and the artist along the way.
This walk through the city is Yann Annicchiarico’s last stop after his recent travels between Kosovo and Greece. It is an exploration that began in Luxembourg, the artist’s birthplace but by no means his only base. Part Luxembourger, part Greek, part Italian, the artist’s archipelago of identities has influenced the work presented in this new book. This perpetual sense of externality allowed him to question our sense of perception and our sensory organs, to examine their potential suspension. It shall also serve as a way to approach his work in De papillons de nuit et l’échelle de Muybridge during the walk. This brief encounter will be an opportunity to explore all that is not contained within the book, yet determined the content.
De papillons de nuit et de l’échelle de Muybridge by Yann Annicchiarico is the third title in the collection published by the ACTH research department. It received a Kultur | lx Portfolio Grant in 2022 and is part of the ACTH’s project to publish essays by contemporary artists. These reflections include visual and audio content, movement, dialogue, and dialectical explanations.
De Papillons de nuit et de l’échelle de Muybridge brings together reflections and accounts from exhibitions in Germany, Luxembourg, France and Italy. The book reflects on a unique state of perception. It is not active conscious perception, but rather the state of the senses when they are exposed to a void—the suspension of attention, a key element in Yann Annicchiarico’s research.
Walk through Lyon
Tuesday 13 September at 4 p.m.
Meeting point at the old Café de la mairie, 4 place Sathonay Lyon, 45,76893° N, 4,83010° E.
Walk & Conversation between Sofia Elisa Bouratsis and Yann Annicchiarico at Les planches by Tadashi Kawamata on the banks of the Saône, 45,76810° N, 4,82238° E.
Discover
Book launch at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, under the arches of the Réfectoire Gallery.
8bis Quai Saint Vincent: 45,76792° N, 4,81731° E.
Publication
De papillons de nuit et de l’échelle de Muybridge by Yann Annicchiarico.
Published by the Contemporary Art and Temporalities of History Research Department (ACTH) at the Lyon Ecole des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA), with support from Kultur | lx – Arts Council Luxembourg.
Collection Artists’ Reflections.
With contributions from Jennifer Lauro Mariani, Clément Minighetti and Bernhard Rüdiger.
Publication date: September 2022.
Available at Presses du réel.
Bilingual edition: French and English.
Graphic design by Rémi Forte.
Graphic work by Juliette Flécheux.
Lettering by Immortel Infra G2 & Immortel Acedia, drawn by Clément Le Tulle-Neyret (2021), and distributed by 205TF.
Yann Annicchiarico (1983, Luxembourg) is irrecoverably foreign to his world. Neither entirely luxemburgish, greek or italian, this state of being at a permanent exterior has given him the means to question human perception and the organs it responds to, so as to study its possible suspension. His work confronts our human nature with worlds that are inaccessible to it and explores their potential spaces. Inseparable from the still or moving body, the act of perceiving in Annicchiarico’s work prompts an awareness of the limits of our own understanding and the possibility of transcending these limits. A shift from intelligibility to sensibility occurs when we grasp the impenetrability of dimensions that are foreign to us despite the fact that we rub shoulders with them. This impenetrability is ushered in by the reoccuring irruption of moths in his artworks, which leave marks of their passage and activate the gap between two worlds.
Yann Annicchiarico has held solo exhibitions at Réfectoire des nonnes in Lyon (2021); KIT – Kunst im Tunnel in Düsseldorf (2020); Nosbaum Reding Projects, Luxembourg (2019); Centre des Arts Pluriels, Ettelbruck (2018) and has participated in group exhibitions in MUDAM – musée d’art moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg (2021); Museo Archeologico del Chianti Senese, Castellina in Chianti, Italy (2019) and at Villa Médicis, Académie de France, Rome (2015). He is a fellow artist-researcher with ACTH (Contemporary Art and Historical Time) since 2011.
Sofia Eliza Bouratsis is Greek and Luxemburgish. She lives between both countries and has worked in theoretical research, contemporary art, and cultural policy for more than a decade. She wrote her PhD on the Aesthetics and poetics of the body. The challenges of Bioart. in Arts and Art Sciences (Aesthetics) at the University of Paris 1 – Pantheon-Sorbonne in 2015 under the supervision of Professor Marc Jimenez. In addition to questions about aesthetics and corporality as expressed in contemporary art, her research includes the incorporation of the lived experience and the institutionalisation of the body. She is also interested in debates around public spaces, the transformation and gentrification of urban areas, the periphery (rural areas), remembrance, and fundamentally collective artistic practices. She occasionally teaches university courses (University of Québec, Montréal, 2016-2017) and prison courses (Second Chance School in Diavata Prison, Thessaloniki, 2016-2020). She has contributed to a variety of projects as a curator for public institutions, museums, galleries, architects’ offices, and local councils, amongst others. From 2014 to 2018, she worked closely with Danielle Igniti, then manager of the Dudelange City Art Centres. From 2008 to 2021, she was the social sciences editor of the transdisciplinary research review, Prétentaine, founded and run by Jean-Marie Brohm. Since 2015, she has organised exhibitions in several different countries and institutions. Bouratsis has a special interest in locations that do not usually host contemporary art (for example, prisons or remote villages).
Sometimes small Nations have a lot to offer, and a meeting at the digital online Great Escape in 2021 started a conversation between two music projects aiming to break down barriers for musicians. Kultur | lx and Wales’ Horizons / Gorwelion felt that we had a lot in common when discussing our homegrown music scenes – a thriving urban, pop, and contemporary culture and a unique language and identity. This led us to explore new ways of working across the digital field, eventually welcoming the BBC affiliated organisation to Excite as the network’s UK partner.
A highly-collaborative project between nine partner organisations based across Europe (BE, DE, DK, FI, LU, NO, NL, SE, UK), Excite leverages a dynamic mechanism to expedite the internationalisation of young artists and music businesses earlier in their careers and development. The network also organises and produces dedicated songwriting camps and sessions with internationally respected and emerging writers/producers to accelerate artistic development and encourage deeper peer-to-peer collaborations.
More and more these days, co-writing sessions between artists (or between artist and producer), are becoming an important tool for Luxembourgish artists to expand on their international network and better facilitate industry connections abroad. These sessions help the artists not only gain a new perspective on the process of making music but also allows them to tap into the audiences/fans of the collaborators they work with. In its mission of stimulating the career development of Luxembourgish creatives and supporting and encouraging the dissemination of artistic creation, Kultur | lx plans, in the year(s) to come, to expand on these types of connections for the Luxembourgish music industry.
Focusing on the positive forces for artists to create and collaborate, Kultur | lx and Horizons have bypassed any industry expectations through a songwriting session between four artists. Foxxglove and Minas from Wales, and CHAiLD and Turnup Tun from Luxembourg, were brought together for this co-writing session, swapping ideas, melodies, beats, and lyrics. The result is the wonderful meeting of minds between talents and the release of their collaborative, multi-lingual single, “Awyr / Himmel / Sky.”
April 1, 2022 : EDSUN “Focus”
EDSUN is a multidimensional force from Luxembourg combining contemporary dance and R&B to create bold and uplifting Art. His inspiration comes from energy sources like SZA, Jannelle Monae and Beyoncé with his abundant creativity and artistic direction best expressed in his live shows and visuals. EDSUN strives to be remembered as a performer that stood up for something, a badass risk taker, incorporating social issues deeply into his art, effectively creating a discourse around subjects. “Focus” marks the artist’s first new music of 2022.
Catch EDSUN Friday, May 6th at Rockhal.
April 8, 2022 : MAZ ‘Upside Down’ EP
Risen out of the ashes of early 2000’s Metal and Rock influences – those heavy and dark, and yet extremely emotional and energetic trap beats that, today, carry the words of the progressive rapper from the future. He absorbs melancholy and reciprocates hope. Maz is known for delivering a powerful and truthful message to his audiences with a determination to not only scratch at the surface, but to tear through it and see what lies underneath. His aim is to spark a raw confrontation with life in brutal honesty. With a sharpened musical and visual identity, the young rapper wants to give the voiceless not just a voice, but also an uncompromising vision and thus urging his listeners to drop the self- imposed masks and all other unnecessary superficialities to eventually find their true selves. Maz arrived last month with his latest EP, Upside Down.
“The fresh face of Europe’s rap future” — Europavox
April 8, 2022 : PTOLEMEA “Inspiration”
“Inspiration” is the lead single from rock artist Priscila Da Costa’s (a.k.a. PTOLEMEA) debut album, planned for early 2023. Accompanied by captivating, almost bewitching images, the single traces a tormented story surprisingly turned towards hope. Inspiration never dies – the key is in the heart of the forest. The singer with her shamanic voice invites you to join her in a pure and powerful universe with mystically reassuring tunes. Welcome to the pagan rock, dark folk sound of PTOLEMEA. Recorded by Falcon the producer, Sacha Hanlet from ‘Them Lights’ at Kulturfabrik (Esch/Alzette, LU), “Inspiration” was mixed by Vincent Habay (FR), mastered by Jon Tornblom from ‘Transparent-mastering (CA) and written by Priscila Da Costa.
April 27, 2022 : FRANCIS OF DELIRIUM ‘The Funhouse’ EP
Francis of Delirium finishes off an EP trilogy with The Funhouse EP, released on April 27th via Dalliance Recordings (Gia Margaret, HighSchool). Since first emerging in early-2020 with the anthemic ‘Quit Fucking Around’, 20-year-old Jana Bahrich (Francis of Delirium) has given voice to the angst and despair that plagues a generation who face an uncertain present and future. A fervent lyrical quality along with the way she blends 90s grunge and present-day alt-pop (think Caroline Polachek and Charli XCX) has taken the Luxembourg-based artist’s music far beyond its place of origin with her two previous EPs (All Change and Wading) and has seen her win praise from Stereogum, The FADER, Paste, Pitchfork, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, 6Music, Radio 1, KEXP and NPR, to name but a few.
Laureate 2022 – Global Project Grant
May 05, 2022 : CHAiLD ‘Slow Down’
Rising electro-pop artist, CHAiLD, is a generational voice for self-expressive queer youth. From heart-felt ballads, to uptempo edgy pop tunes, his music compliments his art through fasion, mainly 80’s hyper-masculine clothes to modern gender-fluid high-fashion. “Slow Down” marks the next chapter in CHAiLD’s story. Speaking of the song, singer Adriano Lopes Da Silva says it’s about “intimacy and vulnerability in love and accepting your lover’s flaws, realizing you can’t change others. The only way to keep the love intact is to communicate and go deeper than appearances or mere sexual desire. “Slow Down” is also about feeling overwhelmed and tired from conflict and needing a break from the rush of the outside world. In short, the desire to slow everything down and the need for comfort and protection.”
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 13th. 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.
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