‘Unsound Brussels Day 1 w/ EGO DEATH, Rainy Miller & more’

Taking his cues from medieval composition, baroque and experimental jazz, Warsaw-based multi-instrumentalist and composer Piotr Kurek doesn't shackle himself to the past, instead using experimental digital techniques to propose an uncanny possible future. His music is centered on the human voice – something best witnessed on the theatrical Peach Blossom (2023). Kurek smears his lush instrumentation into expressionistic electro-acoustic portraits on World Speaks and propagates shapeshifting root systems on the acclaimed Smartwoods. For this performance, Kurek surrounds himself with Belgian musicians: bassist Federico Stocchi and saxophonist Ben Sluijs. The visuals, based on Tomasz Kowalski's artwork, are by Michał Soja.

Ego Death is a collaboration between French electronic artist Aho Ssan (aka Niamké Désiré) and the Polish composer/cellist Resina (aka Karolina Rec). The duo first met as contributors to Nicolás Jaar's Weavings and quickly discovered a powerful musical connection, developed further with Unsound. Pitchfork says Aho Ssan's sonic art "feels like a snapshot of something being torn at the molecular level," while The Quietus lauds Resina's "evocative sound-world... moving from dreamily luminous to unnervingly dark." Together, these two cutting-edge creators have created a confrontational, complex and entrancing soundscape for this exciting festival edition.  

Born and bred in the north of England, Rainy Miller received an early taste of the grime scene when it travelled upwards from London in the mid '00s, offering the dispirited youth a kinetic output for their creativity. Years later, that spirit still haunts the foundations of his sound, a blend of drill, experimental R&B, noise and murky ambience that Miller openheartedly describes as "therapy". In the last few years, he's worked alongside his friends Space Afrika and Blackhaine, galvanising his idiosyncratic identity on a run of acclaimed solo releases that culminated with 2022's emotional Desquamation (Fire, Burn. Nobody). And his live performances feed off this energy – confrontational, noisy, genre-agnostic transmissions straight from the heart of an artist who's constantly pushing culture towards a more equitable, more open-minded future. 

! Warning !
A significant part of this show includes strobe lighting effects. If you are sensitive to strobe lights or prone to seizures from photosensitive epilepsy, we advise you to take the necessary precautions.