New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Legendary experimental rock band Xiu Xiu released their new album 'Forget' in February 2017 on Polyvinyl Records. As one stop on their tour, they will play a special show on April 11th especially for people who love supreme experimentation and celebrate art's merger with sound. Hosted by WFMU's Monty Hall on April 11, the night opens with experimentarl electronic artist The Use joined by audio-visual artist Rachel Mason, who will be performing a collaborative set to celebrate the release of their 7" 'On My Deathbed' on Aagoo Records. There, they will be joined by multi-instrumentalist composer Brian Lawlor on bass and Ramsey Jones (GZA, Wu-Tang, Funkface) on drums.
Aagoo Records is home to vinyl releases by both Xiu Xiu and The Use feat. Rachel Mason, as well as Lucky Dragons,
Philippe Petit and many more excellent artists.
This concert is well timed with the release of The Use's remix of Rachel
Mason 'Sand Dunes' on the compilation 'Alrealon Musique & Bad Alchemy Present: Trace Elements'.
On Xiu Xiu's 'Forget':
'Forget' was recorded during a period of epic productivity for Xiu Xiu. While writing the material for this album, they released the acclaimed 'Plays the
Music of Twin Peaks', collaborated with
Mitski on a song for an upcoming John Cameron Mitchell film, composed music for art installations by Danh Vo, recorded an album with Merzbow, and scored an experimental reworking of the Mozart opera 'The Magic Flute'. All of this frantic, external activity lead to a softly damaged dreaminess and broadened intent that has never revealed itself on other Xiu Xiu releases.
The album was produced by John Congleton (Blondie, Sigur Ros), Greg Saunier of Deerhoof, and Xiu Xiu's own
Angela Seo. It features guest appearances by fabled minimalist composer Charlemagne Palestine, LA Banjee Ball superstar commentator Enyce Smith, Swans guitar virtuoso Kristof Hahn, and legendary drag artist and Xiu Xiu's personal hero Vaginal Davis.
On The Use:
The Use is recognized for his soulful theremin playing and imaginative, moody electronic productions. His music incorporates elements of techno, classical, jazz, hip-hop, electro, industrial, and even psych pop, making use of custom instruments, recorded samples, and theremin. Recent coverage includes Brooklyn Vegan, Impose, Big Takeover Magazine, Huffington Post, Tiny Mix Tapes, and the 'Symantix' premiere in The Wire Magazine. He has toured through Europe, the USA and Canada, and his production and playing features on over 40 albums. The Use has produced a Cibo Matto official remix and, among others, has collaborated with
Danny Chavis of The Veldt. He is alsoin Pas Musique and manages the Alrealon Musique label.
About his 'On My Deathbed' collaboration with Rachel Mason, BrooklynVegan writes: "Glitchy and soaring, it's a haunting track (shades of The Knife) that becomes even more so when you learn its backstory". Most recently, The Use's experimental electronica also found a commercial use with Vogue Magazine choosing his song 'Hello Everybody' to soundtrack a Louis Vuitton advertisement featuring
Selena Gomez. In late March 2017, he also released a remix of Rachel
Mason 'Sand Dunes' on the compilation 'Alrealon Musique & Bad Alchemy Present: Trace Elements'.
On Rachel Mason:
Rachel
Mason is a cross-over performance artist, filmmaker and musician. Touted as "one of the most creative forces in the world" by Impose Magazine, her wide-ranging portfolio of mixed media work has been instigating fantasy and harsh realities through scripts, sculpture, rock operas, live performances and compositions for over a decade.
Mason is best known in music circles for delivering fantastical narratives that interweave musical, theatrical and narrative elements into unexpected musical journeys. Often performing in multiple guises in a single show, with elaborate handmade costumes and headdresses, many of her works have been presented at top art institutions in the U.S. and abroad. Her latest 'Das Ram' LP was released by LA-based
Cleopatra Records in late 2016. Her collaboration with Michael Durek (a.k.a. The Use) began when Durek played theremin for an experimental play she directed in 2010.
SELECT PRESS ON RACHEL MASON:
"A voice part
Emmylou Harris and part Yoko Ono" - New York Times
"Like mid-period
Karen Carpenter mixed with late-period Johanna Went, performance artist, filmmaker and musician Rachel Mason's voice rang out clean and clar and with as much purpose as fresh snowfall" - L.A. Record
"Equally indebted to the Who's Quadrophenia and the Steve Reich opera The Cave, with video and music interacting in fluid, complex ways" - VICE
SELECT PRESS ON THE USE:
"Glitchy and soaring, it's a haunting track (shades of The Knife) that becomes even more so when you learn its backstory" - BrooklynVegan
"Enjoyable, meditative and pleasing. I couldn't have been more delighted" - Huffington Post
"The core is hot; the surface is cool. A conspiratorial smooth ride start to finish" - Top40-charts.com
"Twisting and warping around your conceptions of deconstructed electro pop radio" - Impose Magazine
