In the IMA_experiments 5, sound art meets improvised live electronics.

British sound artist Simon Whetham uses the specific sounds of real places. These field recordings collected on-site were taken as the foundation for his abstract ambient electro-acoustic compositions. The duo MenschMenschMensch on the other hand improvise with instruments such as percussion and trumpet as well as voice and electronics. Out of this comes "imaginarchy music" as MMM describes it themselves – a concept that unites the power of the imagination and the explosive freedom of anarchy.

Simon Whetham

In his own compositional methods, Simon Whetham uses field recordings as raw materials. He focuses mostly on atmospheric recordings whose specific character is emphasized using various methods and processes of sound manipulation. Concrete sounds are thus decontextualized and become abstract sound material. In concert or installation situations, the site of the performance itself becomes an instrument through the projected sounds. Simon Whetham has published a variety of international labels, such as Touch Music, Cronica, Dragon’s Eye, Monochrome Vision and Entr’acte and has played concerts throughout the world. As curator, he draws for the series ‘Active Crossover’ (installations, concerts, workshops).

For more information, please see: www.simonwhetham.co.uk

Mensch Mensch Mensch (USA/D)

MenschMenschMensch consists of performers Liz Allbee and Burkhard Beins. She, a multi-instrumentalist and he, a real-time percussionist, perform "imaginarchy music" during live, electroacoustic excursions. With the background of similar musical origins – from industrial noise to musique concréte through to free improvisation – they create fields of imaginary characters.

For more information, please see: www.lizallbee.net & www.burkhardbeins.de

Information on the concert series

With the series "IMA_experiments" a forum is created for international musicians of contemporary, electronic music. Artists from the non-academic scene are presented who usually do not have access to the large electronic studios, or are unaware of production possibilities such as those at the ZKM | Institute for Music and Acoustics (IMA). With these concerts, the IMA draws important external impulses and also positions itself on the map as a venue for contemporary electronic music. At the same time, he makes his activities and possibilities known not only in the circle of artist and actors, but among a broader public, as well.

Organization / Institution

ZKM