Five rather experimental music makers, well six seeing as Violeta Garcia and Hora Lunga are two people, but five things, you know what we mean here. Five things and some experimental cross-pollination, some musical powder produced by the male part of a flower carried from one plant to another by wind, insects, people in studios improvising or composing with electronic music making machines and art and the art of making sound or sound art or motoring, whatever the price of flight. We’ll start with London-based Hannya White…

1: Hannya White – There’s another way – A two track single or whatever we call these things these days and well now, what is happening in Mexico? What’s that noise? it is a rather painterly thing, dark though, darkly coloured and somewhere in the murk of that corner over there, it would be very easy to pass by and think there’s nothing to see here, nothing to hear, that would be wrong though, it needs your proper attention. Darkly coloured murky sound art that landed here on a very Sunny Spring morning when it really sounds like some kind of dark late night don’t prod it with a stick thing. ”Let’s play. Who are you? We put different clothes on, we take another name, we play a different game”, was that last time? What is she saying? Is it a game? How low can you go? There’s another way. “To play with minimal but striking imagery, repeating sentences ‘Why are you not holding it down in Mexico?’ Who buried a treasure? A sense of adventure, danger, freedom, or perhaps even a touch of aggression, pushing the situation to a limit” – It does feel like she is pushing the situation, it just isn’t clear what the situation actually is, you do kind of want to run with her though, find out where she might go, where she might lead you, she does sound like a painter, it is all rather intriguing, who can’t hold what down in Mexico? I rather like the way she paints her sound…

Follow Hannya White on Instagram or Facebook to stay updated on her latest releases, behind-the-scenes content, and upcoming performances. Here’s the Bandcamp   

And meanwhile over in Washington, D.C. we find Bell Barrow with a new album…

Bell Barrow – CoreCore Pulp (Saccharine Underground) – What have we here? Some kind of dark set of noise infested soundscapes by the sounds of it? “The next evolution of The Saccharine Underground collective. Transmissions from the tachyonic antitelephone. Noise flesh incapacitant. Future hell sublimated” is how they put it, well no, that’s the label describing themsleves but it does seem fitting. Bell Barrow is apparently “a new project from Washington D.C, combining the influence of noise, power electronics, free jazz psychedelia, and avantgarde blackmetal. The debut album CoreCore Pulp is released on Bandcamp 10 April 2025, via DIY label imprint / artist collective Saccharine Underground”.

CoreCore Pulp kind of sounds like a lot of things of this nature, not sure if there’s anything in here that sets what Bell Barrow is doing apart from others, not hearing the avantgarde blackmetal angle that’s talked of, there’s maybe a hint of darkwave? A hint of a goth undertone? Seems Bell Barrow is Jeremy Moore and his guitars, 4 string fretless bass, drums and noise/synthesis, an “is” rather than an “are” then, the artwork is Jeremy’s as well, not sure it fits the music that well? Decent enough art I guess but not really intune with the music or the sound, the sound is far far more abstract, obtuse, there are some rather nice bass lineS flowing in there and kind of giving it all some much needed direction. I guess with that art on the cover and the darkness of it all it could be the soundtrack to some kind of underground fetish club or some such dark corner? It is mostly abstract noises, slashes, bites, throbs, experiments, sound art, kind of like it on the days that it catches me in the right frame of mind as it is doing now on this latest visit… Bandcamp

3: JakoJako – Dragon Bridge is a rather refreshing piece of music taken from JakoJako’s album Tết 41 and on we go with building a more sound art flavoured experimental music page and hopefully some cross-pollination. This in a rather tunefully rewarding piece, more about it underneath the music, let the music do the talking…

“Berlin-based modular synthesist JakoJako (aka Sibel Koçer) has shared a new track, ‘Dragon Bridge’ from her forthcoming album, Tết 41, out on limited edition vinyl and digitally on 25 April 2025“.

The album, recorded in Vietnam during the Tết Lunar New Year celebrations is, in many ways, a distillation of ideas Koçer has been exploring for many years. Tapping into a deep understanding of machine-based music and illuminated by references to her heritage, Tết 41 reflects on notions of rebirth, and the pursuit of a sonic core. “I wanted to collect the atmospheres of Vietnam, and strip it back to my language – electronic music. I don’t have huge ties to the traditions of my Vietnamese family, so being able to experience them with my mother, and then bring the Lunar Celebration – the colourful flowers, food and customs – back to Europe through music has helped me realise how important this side of my heritage is.” – JakoJako (aka Sibel Koçer)

Right now, ahead of the release you can hear a couple more tracks via Bandcamp. More when we’ve heard more I expect?

4: Abul Mogard – Quiet Pieces – “Abul Mogard is the alter ego of Italian musician Guido Zen, known for his evocative albums and immersive live performances. Based in Rome, he has appeared at prestigious festivals and venues, including Berlin Atonal, Poesia en Voz Alta (Mexico City), the Centre Pompidou (Paris), Centro de Cultura Contemporánea Condeduque (Madrid), Auditorium San Fedele (Milan), Le Guess Who? (Utrecht), and the Southbank Centre (London)”.

What we have here is, as you’d probably guess, is quiet pieces of warm keyboard/synth drone, warm washes of peaceful organic sounding full bodied pieces of almost easy listening. Right now you can hear just one track from the album that is out in May, it is a good representation of the whole rather rewarding experience though…. Bandcamp

5: Violeta Garcia and Hora Lunga: Argentinian cellist, improviser and composer Violeta Garcia has made a collaborative album with the Swiss musician Hora Lunga, this is a track from forthcoming album (and a rather good video made by Işıl Karataş). The album, I’ll Wait For You In The Car Park is released on 25th April, find more details under the video or on Bandcamp), the two videos here should get you curious…

“Violeta García and Hora Lunga crossed paths by chance in 2023 and began discussing and sharing music shortly afterwards. What started as a loose exchange of ideas, sending back and forth sketches and demos between South America and Europe, grew into several studio sessions in 2024. “We made most of the decisions impulsively without much questioning. That takes a lot of trust,” says Garcia.

Being sucked into a “quite extraordinary flow”, the two musicians recorded, arranged, and intervened on a level playing field, using the studio as a playground to record musical layers and interweave them with field recordings and audio notes gathered over the course of a year. Speaking a kindred musical language, they quickly realized how their ideas clung to each other like two familiar souls, complementing, intertwining, and merging. From gauzy and eerie textures, musical miniatures floating through time, howling, and screaming strings, to tumbling and thundering basses – the sound of the ordinary shapes a body that vibrates, writhes and breathes.”

Here’s some more…

Violeta García is a cellist, improviser and composer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Based in Spain, she tours with her band Blanco Teta. She is a performer in many art forms, including free improvisation, contemporary and trans-media experimental repertoire in violoncello and electronics and collaborations with dancers, film makers and visual artists. After years of studying classical and popular music on violoncello and, later, contemporary composition and improvisation, Violeta has developed her own musical voice needed to emerge beyond outside specific genres.

Throughout Swiss composer and musician Hora Lunga’s work, the focus lies on exploring boundaries, both musically and in terms of performance and content. Above all, genre designations lose all meaning, as the music always takes place within a dramaturgically conceived overall framework. In recent years, his projects have ranged from pop music productions to experimental works and sound performances, as well as theatre and film productions. His ensemble Wirren consists of up to fifteen performers.

And then, while we’re here, there’s this. Cardiacs soundchecking or something in 1998, Musicon Freaks Festival, Paard, Den Haag, Netherlands October 22nd, 1998 to be exact. It was all in the eyes…