FACT: Experiencing “live and original expressions of contemporary electronic music and audiovisual arts” is horrible and pathetic wastes of time in the winter. (I mean, that’s what Netflix and Harry Potter audiobooks and podcasts about knitting and adult coloring books are FOR. Everyone knows that.)
Come June though? It’s a contemporary-electronic-music-and-audiovisual-arts-horse of a different color! And it’s never too early to start dreaming of those warmer, more colorfully-horsed months ahead. ESPECIALLY when longstanding music fests like MUTEK start announcing this year’s initial lineup of artists.
This year’s iteration of MUTEK (now in its 17th year) is going down June 1-5 at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) (“in the heart of Quartier des spectacles”!), as well as at several other select venues in the downtown Montréal area. It features — among its vast hodgepodge of internationally known masters and emerging talents — Francesco Tristano, Tim Hecker, Function, Powell, Flanger, Jlin, Colleen, and more! Check out this sampler mix:
Additionally, the festival’s commitment to putting an emphasis on “live audiovisual creations that ingeniously meld sound and visual in undeniable unions and startling new relationships” has yielded several world-premiere collaborations, including Dark Hearts of Space (a “multiscreen work from Dasha Rush and Stanislav Glasov exploring the poetic implications of black holes”), Centaure (a “new screen based A/V from Franck Vigroux and Kurt D’Haeseleer”), and several others. There’ll also be a plethora of special “workshops, showrooms, interviews and discussions” with collaborators Red Bull Music Academy, SHAPE (<3), Bloc, and Resident Advisor going down all week long, which you can learn more about over here, if you’re starting to get the summer festival itch a little early.
Speaking of getting the itch, passes for the whole five-day shindig can also be purchased by your anxious internet clickfingers right over here, and you can peep the complete list down below. It’s even listed alpha-fucking-betically, so you can continue throttling your way through The Order of the Phoenix with your ears while your eyes gawk at the magical summer of outdoor music to come! How’s that for convenience?
MUTEK 2016:
Ash Koosha
Atom™
Burnt Friedman
Colleen
Dasha Rush
Dasha Rush & Stanislav Glasov Present Dark Hearts Of Space
Dawn of Midi
Essaie Pas
Flanger
Francesco Tristano
Franck Vigroux & Kurt D’haeseleer Present Centaure
Function
Galcher Lustwerk
Jlin
Julia Kent
Kara-Lis Coverdale
Lakker
Local Artist
Mayaan Nidam
Off World
Orphx
Paul Jebanasam & Tarik Barri Present Continuum
Powell
Project Pablo
Romare
Sonja Moonear
Terekke
Tim Hecker
More about: Dawn of MIDI, Jlin, Powell, Tim Hecker
