Phew. Artist Talk
Practical information
- Tune in English
- Free admission
Event overview
“When using my voice, I put emphasis on physical sensations...It
feels good when I let my voice out when I'm breathing deeply. I don't
know much about perfection or entertainment, but I trust my sense of
pleasure for judging, as it is something that comes from my physical
sensations.” — Phew
Phew is a legend and prolific figure in Japanese underground music
who has been forging her own path for over four decades. She works with
electronics and her voice, creating minimal, inquisitive music, layered
with vocal expressions, sometimes wordless, feverish chants, or
speak-singing. Her approach is instinctive, with a belief that ‘music is
born from life, from the body first’, and her vocal experiments are
bedded in warm shadows of acoustic sound and atmospheric synths. Through
layering different rhythms and grooves, she draws listeners into
multiple experiences of time. Inspired by the Sex Pistols in the late
1970s, Phew started the trailblazing avant-punk-psychedelic-rock band,
Aunt Sally, and went on to collaborate as a solo artist with Ryuichi
Sakamoto, who created a sound work for Dumb Type’s exhibition in 2022
at Haus der Kunst, as well as Conny Plank, Holger Czukay and Jaki
Liebezeit of Can, and Alex Hacke of Einstürzende Neubauten. More
recently she has worked with Jim O’Rourke and Ikue Mori, who has also
collaborated with Joan Jonas.
For TUNE, Phew will present a performance for synthesizers, samples, and voice on Friday. On Saturday she will perform her release from 2017, Voice Hardcore, where she twists, folds, and layers her voice over six mesmerising tracks.
On the opening night, Hamburg’s Golden Pudel resident, Nina, will play an opening DJ set. Nina’s music takes you into the furthest and most unsettling recesses of odd and atmospheric music. She creates collages of music concrète, field recordings, film scores, and spoken word, to be consumed with micro-dosed flights of imagination.
Admission to the artist talk is free of charge.
