Text by CLOT Magazine
Without resting much after Unsound Krakow, Unsound is set to return to New York on November 22 and 23. Unsound produced five major events in New York between 2010 and 2016. The earliest incarnations occurred in a city whose electronic music and club scene differed wildly from today’s. Unsound New York 2019 is the first step toward a new Unsound future in the city, with the two-day event culminating with Knockdown Center as the main presenter and venue. The focus of the 2019 program is entirely on live shows and performances.
On November 22, 2019, Blank Forms and the Polish Cultural Institute New York will present the U.S. premiere of Polish legends KSIĘŻYC. Originating in the ’90s, this band has a cult following thanks to their distinctive experimental sound, which combines vocals, acoustic instruments and tape and is influenced by minimalism, Slavic folk and psychedelia. For Unsound New York they will play a free show in St. Peter’s Church in Chelsea.
On November 23, the festival will take over Knockdown with a lineup moving from ambient to noise and club music. Tim Hecker will perform with the Konoyo Ensemble. Fellow Kranky labelmate Liz Harris, a.k.a. Grouper will present the U.S. premiere of NIVHEK, a minimalist project resulting partially from an Unsound residency in Murmansk, deep in the Russian arctic. Caterina Barbieri will perform her first New York show, playing with tempo, patterns and arpeggiated sound to take listeners on a mind-altering journey. Also joined THE BUG with MISS RED, AMNESIA SCANNER. A second room at Knockdown is presented with The Bunker and Quo Vadis. The lineup includes a series of special live collaborations from local artists, moving throughout the evening from noise to techno experiments.
The graphic image is on point, as always. Following up on Unsound Krakow’s last year imagery, the techno dystopian garden of delights is time transported to NYC. Presenting a city being taken over by exuberant flora, aliens and a sense of longing despair.
