London-based bands Savages and Bo Ningen are about to release something mysteriously awesome this fall, November 17 to be specific.
Continuing their fruitful collaboration (including Savages’ lead singer Jehnny Beth appearance on Bo Ningen’s record ‘III’ and earlier joint performances), two bands have announced their collective album ‘Words To the Blind’, released via Stolen Recordings/Pop Noire. Previously performed in London at the Red Gallery in May 2013, the album consists of one 37-minute track and is described as ‘a simultaneous sonic poem’ in a press-release.
Savages, striking post-punk outfit with their darkly eccentric music videos for ‘Marshal Dear’, ‘Husbands’ from debut LP ‘Silence Yourself’ (8.7 out of 10 by Pitchfork is worth million compliments), and new song ‘Fuckers’, adding Bo Ningen, originally from Japan, described as acid-punk, psych-noise, make a good bunch of experimentalists, as Bo Ningen’s emotional splashes get well imposed on Savages’ lively background.
‘Words To The Blind’ will again be performed by ‘Savage Ningen’ this autumn with the support of London’s Barbican. The show will take place at Oval Space, east London on November 19, and Utrecht, Netherlands on November, 21 at Le Guess Who Festival.
Gemma Thompson, guitarist of Savages, depicts the concept of creating and performing ‘Words To The Blind’ live:
As the idea begins to take shape in early 2013, we prepare for both bands to rehearse together in a studio with a loose composition based around five chapters.
As the musicians of both bands consider how to apply themselves with their instruments to each chapter – revolving, colliding and intertwining with words sang in Japanese, French and English by Taigen and Jehn – we also envisage the physical space in which to perform.
We imagine a stage in a large u-shape to contain as much of the audience as possible in the centre. The two drummers next to each other at the ‘bottom’ of the u, then leading around symmetrically (facing each other): guitarists, bassists and singers at the tips of the u-shape. Bo Ningen have a guitar extra, so we hang one from the ceiling to hit as you would a gong. Eventually we fix a date and a space for what we believe is a one-off performance that we name WORDS TO THE BLIND.
Watch the upcoming album’s trailer below.
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