Forever eccletic and boundary-challenging, Roadburn is a festival that never ceases to amaze us. Last week, we got a poster for its 2020 edition – expertly crafted by Douwe Dijkstra, no less -, and a small tease of what and who would be a part of it and today, we got the first confirmations for the next edition of Europe’s leading underground festival for any variation of leftfield sonic pleasures that push the boundaries of music.
With an intent to take things a step further by exploring new musical landscapes and embarking on a voyage of discovery, Roadburn announces not one but two curators for next year. One of them is the immensely talented Emma Ruth Rundle (on the photo above), who has left such a mark on the festival that she was invited back as a curator. Emma will be bringing her vast and broad musical taste for a curating event she dubs “The Gilded Cage”. Expect the unexpected. And since we are on that page, James Kent is the second curator. Widely known for his fusion of electronic music and metal under the guise of Perturbator, James embodies everything that is exciting about dark synth music and his creative approach and ability to explore the heavier sides of music and sound will reflect beautifully in his curation event.
On to the music per se and speaking of James Kent, he and Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna) will unite for a commisioned performance that promises to be as hypnotic and cinematic as their respective musical projects. Keeping up with the topic of commisioned music, Jo Quail will present “The Cartographer”. After dipping her toes in the Roadburn pond back in April, where she performed alongside Mono, At The Gates and Myrkur, Jo will take the centre stage to perform a unique piece that blends in classical and contemporary music – in this case, post-metal -, alongside Rotterdam’s higlhy regarded New Trombone Collective, a group of trombonists who themselves on innovation, creativity and collaboration. The third commisioned music piece will come from a joint effort between Vile Creature and Bismuth, whi will perform a collaborative piece entitled “A Hymn of Loss and Hope” that will surely be as visceral as each band’s respective musical repertoir. Last but by no means least, one of the most distinctive voices in alternative music will return to Roadburn. From Made Out of Babies, through Battle of Mice, as a solo artist, and as a collaborator with Cult of Luna on their stunning 2016 record, Mariner, Julie Chirstmas has left a distinctive, subtle but indelible mark in the alternative music scene. At Roadburn, she will be performing a special, exclusive set comprised of both old favourites and new material. More names will be confirmed soon, so keep your eyes peeled for further announcements.
Roadburn 2020 takes place at 013, in Tilburg, on April 16th-19th. Tickets will go on sale on September 24th. More details will be made available in the coming weeks.
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