Johann Johannsson

Event information

Johann Jóhannsson
with Greg Haines + support
Wednesday 26th May @ The Prince Albert, Brighton

Jóhann Jóhannsson´s stately, slow-building and hauntingly melodic music, which frequently combines electronics with classical orchestrations, has been quietly bewitching listeners since he released his first genre defining solo record Englabörn in 2002 on the well respected British label Touch. Jóhann's second album, Virthulegu Forsetar (2004), for brass ensemble, drones and percussion. Both releases met substantial critical acclaim, whilst his third album and his first for 4AD, IBM 1401 - A User's Manual (2006), was his most ambitiously orchestrated composition to date involving a 60 piece string orchestra and incorporating electronics and original reel-to-reel recordings of music made on a 1960´s IBM 1401 mainframe computer. Jóhann's most recent album, Fordlandia, was released in November 2008 and it combines a darkly romantic minimalism and baroque counterpoint with Krautrock, post-rock, glitch electronics and melodies inspired!
by North European folk music.

http://www.myspace.com/johannjohannsson
http://www.johannjohannsson.com

Jóhann Jóhannsson: Piano, organ, electronics
Matthías Hemstock: Percussion, electronics
Ivo Stankov: Violin
James Underwood: Violin
Emma Owens: Viola
Charlotte Rook: Cello

Greg Haines is an English musician and composer currently living in Berlin, who specialises inexploring the middle-ground between the academic world of contemporary classical music and the freedom found in the desire to manipulate and experiment with sound itself. Shortly after, Haines discovered the work of Arvo Pärt, and in it found his biggest inspiration to date. Pärt's intricate use of both space and density informed Greg's first solo release, 'Slumber Tides', released on the Norwegian Miasmah label in 2006. The album was critically acclaimed worldwide, leading one writer to state: "This is music to fall into and let it embrace your heart and soul. Be warmed and sadden by its slow unfolding beauty and grace. Clearly one of the most luxurious and emotional rich debut albums you're likely to come across this year, or any other year for that matter." (Musique Machine).

http://www.greghaines.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/greghainesmusic