DUNK! x VIERNULVIER 2023 

The dunk!festival 2023 line-up features 3 musical projects developed at VIERNULVIER Arts Centre. Go see these special live shows on 18, 19 and 20 May!

MARIA W HORN - ‘DIES IRAE’ (Thu 18 May)

Maria W Horn is a composer hailing from the north of Sweden. She is interested in the manipulation of time and space through sonic extremes – oscillating between minimalist structures and piercing power electronics utilising both digital and analog synthesis as well as acoustic instruments and audiovisual components. 

At dunk!festival she presents ‘Dies Irae’, a piece composed for female vocal quartet and electronics. The name and thematic focus of the piece is inspired by the eponymous Latin poem describing the last judgement, the time when the souls of men are summoned for a final divine judgement and the unsaved are cast into eternal flames.

The piece is divided in two vocal parts, performed by 4 vocalists of KASK & Conservatorium in Ghent, followed by an improvisation for tuned glass, voice and electronics.

SLUMBERLAND feat. SAINKHO NAMTCHYLAK (Fri 19 May)

Slumberland embraces the experiment. The band led by Belgian sound artist Jochem Baelus deploys an arsenal of home-made mechanical instruments, unleashing a hypnotic krautrock sound with echoes of distorted exotica. After creating his signature battery of sewing machines and projectors, Baelus immersed himself into the world of 65-year-old Siberian voice-artist Sainkho Namtchylak. 

At dunk!festival, Namtchylak’s Russian beat-poetry is now accompanied by Baelus’ minimal yet vigorous compositions. Together, they released the album ‘Lightkeeper’ (2022). Their audiovisual live show was developed at VIERNULVIER in 2021.

Namtchylak grew up in Tuva, an autonomous Russian republic north of Mongolia. Known as a rebel pur sang, she became the first female overtone artist. Namtchylak started combining these traditional chants with influences from avant-garde music and working with artists such as Evan Parker and Tinariwen.

"...her vocals weaving the way between the hand built instruments. Stirring a pot that simmers on the brink of noise, threatening to boil over." - THE WIRE on ‘Lightkeeper’

USE KNIFE (Sat 20 May)

If you missed out on Use Knife’s audiovisual live show at VIERNULVIER’s ‘VIDEODROOM’-festival last October, here’s a second chance: Stef Heeren, Kwinten Mordijck (Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat) and Saif Al-Qaissy (Babylon Trio) perform their groovy Arabic percussion and urgent vocals of debut album 'The Shedding of Skin' (2022) live at dunk!festival. 

The album, also the very first VIERNULVIER Records release, is brimming with driving electronic beats, sequenced melodies and lively Arabic drum rhythms. Youniss Ahamad provides the live visuals and scenography.

The live show is a co-production of VIERNULVIER Arts Centre, Wilde Westen, STUK, AB, Trix and De Grote Post.