After the recent success of the sold out Viral Radio Festival 2010, Bimhuis and Viral Radio present Hyperrhythm, a programme with more innovative electronic music. The first edition of Hyperrhythm took place at this year’s North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam. Then, Dimlite, Dorian Concept, Hudson Mohawke and Mike Slott played impeccable sets.

This Thursday, Oval (Thrilljockey, Berlin), Phonophani (Rune Grammofon, Tromsø) and Mike Slott (LuckyMe, New York) will play new work. Markus ‘Oval’ Popp is one of the main artists of the glitch movement, in which technical hitches and glitches are used as musical building blocks. Sound artist Espen Sommer Eide makes his solo debut in the Netherlands as Phonophani. Previously he has performed with Alog and he has collaborated with Biosphere and Pierre Bastien. Read an interview with him by Juha. Mike Slott made his debut at the Bimhuis alongside Dimlite and Take during Beat Dimensions at the Amsterdam Dance Event in 2008. He is the musical sibling of Hudson Mohawke, Rustie and American Men. Non-fiction’s Juha will set the perimeters with rhythmic abstractions.

The programme starts at 9 pm sharp, and tickets are still available at the door. We look forward to seeing you here tonight.

Oval – Ah! from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Already after the first time I give up writing a weekly update. I admit, I’m not disciplined enough. I will now rename it “randomly timed update of current affairs.” See, much better.

What happened this time? Apart from discovering that it is possible to garden on a balcony on the 4th floor, and by doing so becoming a Foursquare mayor of my local garden supply store, I have spent most of my time on finishing my proposal for this year’s North Sea Jazz Festival. Although I have a background mostly in beat driven electronic music, playing jungle, dubstep and other asymmetric electronic music as DJ at festivals and club nights, in the years of working for Kadir Selçuk and Huub van Riel in Lantaren/Venster and the Bimhuis since 2005, I have developed an interest in electroacoustic improvised music. Early concerts I did were with Jacob Kirkegaard, Christian Fennesz, Philip Jeck and BJ Nilsen, who are all part of the unsurpassed London music label Touch. Later on I collaborated with Yuri Boselie on inviting abstract beat  producers like Flying Lotus and Hudson Mohawke to the Bimhuis on the Beat Dimensions nights. And in between I worked with Alog, Stephen O’Malley and Icarus.

These experiences have led to the invitation by the North Sea Jazz Festival, to programme two stages: one with beat-driven music (Yukon), and one with electroacoustic improvisation (Volga). It’s a great honour to bring my favourite musicians to my old hometown, and I find it incredibly encouraging that such a big and respected festival is open to new developments, and reserves an important part of its line up to these cutting-edge musics. We are in the midst of booking the musicians, and hopefully within a few weeks we can present an allstar line up of stellar artists. The Yukon stage on Friday 9 July will present a new generation of beat makers, the Volga on Sunday 11 July multiple generations of electronically aided improvisors.

As for the garden, it looks stunning. I just hope the grass and bamboo will survive the heavy winds. At least there’s a Moomin looking after them.

On this month’s edition Viral Radio presents two artists it has been following for years and years: Dimlite and Jamie Vex’d. Swiss born Dimlite (Dimitri Grimm, 1980) is a master of mosaic textures and imaginative drum patterns. He is one of the most admired artists of his generation and a distinguished performer. His concerts at the Bimhuis in 2008 and 2009 rank among the best given there in the past few years. Englishman Jamie Vex’d (Jamie Teasdale, 1979) has gained critical acclaim as experimental dubstep duo Vex’d. They released the album Degenerate on Planet Mu in 2005, a prescient example of forward thinking bass music. Jamie has released solo works that are closer related to the video game and science fiction cartoons aesthetic of Hudson Mohawke and Rustie. He has created the new avatar Kuedo, that will release its first tracks within weeks.It is one of the most anticipated releases of the year.

The evening starts at 22:30, and tickets are 12 euros. As always, Viral Radio hosts Juha and Cinnaman will play their music straight out of the package. We look forward to welcoming you there.

Mark Pritchard, aka Harmonic 313

According to Time Out Amsterdam, Viral Radio is ‘the most cutting-edge event in Amsterdam, hands down.’ The electronic music vehicle of Non-fiction’s Juha van ‘t Zelfde, in close harmony with DJ/producer/Beat Dimensions architect Cinnaman (Yuri Boselie), has been gathering momentum in 2009. The nights have featured lords of the underground Kode9 & the Spaceape, Flying Lotus and Joker, and many more in their slipstream.

The coming month, the carrier of freight train bass weight will present another stellar compendium of contemporary studio explorations:

02 October >> Harmonic 313 and Juha & Cinnaman
21 October >> Knalpot, Gaslamp Killer, Clark, Bibio, Martyn, Aardvarck, Pete Concrete and Juha & Cinnaman
06 November >> Hudson Mohawke, Lorn, Ras G and Juha & Cinnaman

We would like to thank the artists for their participation, TrouwAmsterdam for the inspiring collaboration, and you – the visitor and listener – for your support. We hope to see you tonight.

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Update: a new episode of Viral Radio on VPRO 3voor12 will be recorded today, with special guest Harmonic 313.

A few months ago we asked our good friend Aardvarck, if he was given the chance to invite someone for Viral Radio, who he would choose. “Mala,” was his immediate answer, followed by an endless stream of unintelligible animal noises, “hoer” and “zijn we er al?” Mala will now play alongside Aardvarck, Cinnaman and Juha at the sixth Viral Radio event at TrouwAmsterdam. He will be joined by his friend, brother-from-another-mother and fellow demilitarized zone pacifist Sgt. Pokes.

In the evening, starting around 8 PM, Viral Radio will present the second CDR night. Adopted from London, the night is intended to create a social network, platform or hub for aspiring producers, avid supporters and kindred spirits who enjoy new ventures into electronic music. Hosted by Juha, Cinnaman and Mamiko Motto, a line of guests will be interviewed about their music practice, amongst whom Mr. Aardvarck himself. Visitors can bring their music on CDRs, which then will be played on our professional club soundsystem, while their names and track titles will be beamed on the wall.

CDR has been adopted by De Verdieping as a monthly night to share ideas and music. It has been transferred from the Wednesday to the Friday, to connect with Viral Radio and to benefit from the presence of international artists as Hudson Mohawke, Mala, Nosaj Thing, Harmonic 313, and all the others that come through the Viral Radio hub.

Viral Radio starts at 10.30 PM. Tickets are 12 euros, and are available at Rush Hour, online and at the door of TrouwAmsterdam. CDR starts at 8 PM. Tickets are 5 euros, but entrance is free of charge with a CDR of your music. Visitors of CDR can stay for Viral Radio without paying any more.

Viral Radio invited CDR to kick off the Viral Radio Festival 2009

The first night of the Viral Radio Festival 2009 was a modest, albeit incredibly inspiring, success. An intimate crowd of producers, DJs and family and friends visited the first CDR night at De Verdieping. Thanks to everyone for their support, and Gavin, Tony, Mamiko, Hudson Mohawke and Icarus for their involvement. We look forward to the next one, which will most likely take place in August.

The second day of the festival will take place at the Bimhuis tonight, with Icarus hailing from London and Melbourne to bring electronic music by the guidelines of the International Standards for Jungle Music: 175 BPM straight for 12 years now, engineering their hyperrhythmic speed beats with MAX/MSP like scientists at the CERN Hadron Collider. They will be joined by another electroacoustic duo from the UK, Furt. ‘One of the most blisteringly energetic and experimental partnerships over the past twenty years.’ (The Guardian). In the cafe around the concerts we will hear Mrs. Mohawke herself, the ubiquitous Mamiko Motto (Samurai FM/Kindred Spirits).

We hope to see you tonight.

Air strike one. Tony on the alley.

UK clubnight CDR takes its successful innovative format overseas with the premiere of a new bi-monthly session at De Verdieping in the basement of TrouwAmsterdam. Joining CDR’s Tony Nwachukwu and Gavin Alexander will be local Dutch deejays and producers Cinnaman (Beat Dimensions/Viral Radio) and Juha (Viral Radio/Beat Dimensions), plus special guest Hudson Mohawke (LuckyMe/Warp) bringing his distinct head-moving electronics.

CDR’s open session invites music producers to bring their tracks along on CD, giving those in attendance the opportunity to hear works-in-progress. In addition the night will begin with a conversation with Hudson Mohawke and Cinnaman about their beat-making ways, plus tales from Tony and Gavin about CDR and the burntprogress story so far. Taking over the booth to close the occasion Beat Dimensions and Red Bull Music Academy alumni Hudson Mohawke and Cinnaman join forces showcasing their crowd-pleasing record selecting skills.

Building on CDR London and Midlands residencies (plus past nights in Paris, Berlin and Sydney!) these new Amsterdam sessions will begin a burntprogress partnership between the UK and Netherlands, with local musical artists crossing the North Sea to check out their neighbours. With free entry for all, get set to savour a taste of underground sounds like no other: crossing genres, changing tempos and inspiring all.

Furthermore, Hepcat Radio host Mamiko Motto will present the Friday artists of the Viral Radio Festival from 8-10 PM at Rooms of Redbull. She will play the best tracks of the CDR night, and host exclusive sets by the guests of the festival. The line up of the Viral Radio Festival consists of Daedelus, Hudson Mohawke, Icarus, Furt, Bullion, the Blessings, Cinnaman and Juha.

This weekend, the city of Eindhoven is host of STRP, one of the Netherlands’ most innovative art and technology festivals. The festival takes place at Philips former industrial Strijp-S area. With artists as Squarepusher, Aphex Twin, Rustie and Hudson Mohawke, STRP has a line up that connects two generations of brain-tingling electronic musicians.

If you have not been able to obtain a ticket for this festival, or will not travel to the South, we present an alternative in Amsterdam this weekend. On Friday 3 April Clark will play at Viral Radio at Trouw, and on Saturday 4 April Non-fiction has invited Pan Sonic and Oval at the Bimhuis.

We hope these two nights form a soothing alternative for missing the impressive STRP festival. See you there?