The Danish pianist Eik Octobre, born Emil Skovsgaard Christensen, has been navigating the precipice of his sentimentality for several years now, and it is intimately linked to his creations. His pieces are steeped in melancholia but their mellow piano melodies often get them demoted to background music. Anna Stich spoke to the artist about his relationship to emotions and his musical genre.
Who else is missing the sweaty crowds, packed in tiny basement concert venues? Who else is missing the summer evenings spent dancing in front of an open-air stage? We have all had to adapt, these days but that also means that we are forced to get creative. And this streaming series combines the best of multiple worlds.
The Iranian singer Faravaz will release her debut, "Azadi" (meaning "Freedom" in Farsi), on May 11th. The record recounts the story of her life in exile in Germany because the Iranian government sentenced her to one year in prison for the act of singing as a woman. Choosing to not return to her homeland, Faravaz fights for women’s rights from abroad. Her music is driven by the yearning and fight for liberation from patriarchal oppression.
French classic/electronica band AUFGANG presents its latest music video Kyrie, a collaboration with director John B. Root. The track is taken from the band’s sophomore longplayer Istiklaliya, once again combining classical elements with dark electronics. Composer FRANCESCO TRISTANO – with whom NOTHING BUT HOPE AND PASSION spoke last autmun – provides the special note for AUFGANG. The special note in the new clip comes from – well, various famous French porn stars. So, if you don’t mind a bit of nudity, enjoy the clip right here.