Thursday 21 December 2017, 7.30pm
Jessica Sligter is a recording-artist, composer, and producer based in Oslo and Berlin. Her work folds socio-political ponderings into a cross-genre experimental field, resulting in a dark, abstract crooner music. Uncut magazine describes her recent release 'A Sense Of Growth' (2016) as "Fluid, compelling, and boldly imaginative".
A background in jazz saw Sligter moving from incorporating pop and rock elements into improvised music, to her use of various methods to integrate free improvisation into song structures. Influenced by her MA in artistic research, Sligter’s work has since developed a decidedly more abstract character. Electro-acoustic explorations and work with frequency-focused extended vocal technique have moved to the forefront rather than being details laced into eclectic arrangements. Her conceptual approach has deepened, accompanied by various compositional forms.
Oslo-based label Hubro has released Sligter’s three solo records to date. On ‘A Sense Of Growth’ she recorded and co-produced with Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Earth, Marissa Nadler). Sligter’s upcoming release Polycrisis:yes! is an exploration of dystopian performative politics, the (broken?) European dream, controlled feedback and synthesis.
Commissioned works by Sligter include a piece Oslo14 vocal ensemble, and collaborations with Sacred Bones recording artist Jenny Hval, Susanna, and composer Wilbert Bulsink. Previous performances include Le Guess Who? festival, John Zorn’s The Stone, November Music festival, and more. Sligter is also the creator of Nuts And Bolts, a gear-talk podcast with female-identifying artists, premiering January 2018.
Sligter plays at Café OTO with longtime collaborators Håvard Skaset on guitar, synthesiser (MoE, Camille Norment a.o.), Kyrre Låstad on drums, synthesiser (Jenny Hval, Snøskred a.o.), and herself on vocals and synthesiser.
London/Oslo-based duo BirdWorld is Gregor Riddell (cello, electronics) and Adam Teixeira (drums, percussion).
With a simple acoustic instrumental set up alongside electronically manipulated field recordings and a variety of traditional percussion including numerous kalimbas, the duo weaves between ambient electronic, contemporary classical and jazz improvisation.
Since meeting during their respective Banff Centre for the Arts Creative Residencies, the duo has gone on to perform across Europe with highlights including a Union Chapel concert filmed and recorded by NTS Radio, an electronic film score commissioned by London Contemporary Orchestra and collaborating with Streifenjunko, Harpreet Bansal, Alex Stuart, Vilde&Inga among others. Birdworld will release its debut album in 2018.
