American composer and film/video artist Phill Niblock has been active with multimedia presentations since the mid-1960s. His highly minimalist compositions are usually based on drones, interference and overtones. The combination of static surface structures and active harmonic movements creates extraordinarily original music that has inspired many generations of composers. The pieces are computer-generated and composed from recordings of tones played persistently on traditional instruments (cello, violin, trumpet, sax …). For a long time, he presented his work only in the form of performances in galleries and museums. It seemed impossible to find a form in which his presentations could be included in a ‘collection’ or immortalised on an image or sound carrier. But for the last decade, DVDs have been appearing under his name and his music has been released on CD by the leading British Touch label ( Touch Food, Touch Works & Touch Three). Reviews have been unusually positive. In recent years, Niblock has worked extensively with Berlin-based alto saxophonist and electronic musician Thomas Ankersmit.

Minimalism, extreme forms of improvisation and pure sound research play a major role in Ankersmit’s work. In his solo sets, using an EMS synthesiser and computer, he creates carefully constructed noisescapes that he fuses with the sound of his alto saxophone. In the sets with Niblock, he lets the sound of his often unamplified sax collide with Niblock’s drones: he moves within the space and seeks out certain harmonies that he reworks via microtones. Together, they present an electro-acoustic performance in which Niblock’s films (under the theme Movement of People Working) also play an important role. Analogous to the opposing movements in his music (extremely active versus static elements), in his films the slowness of the masterful long takes is countered by a varied structure of rhythm and body movement. In short, image and music reinforce each other and make the concert a total experience for the spectator.

Together, they provide an electro-acoustic performance in which Niblock’s films (under the theme Movement of People Working) also play an important role. Analogous to the opposing movements in his music (extremely active versus static elements), in his films the slowness of the masterful long takes is countered by a varied structure of rhythm and body movement. In short, image and music reinforce each other and make the concert a total experience for the viewer.

www.phillniblock.com