On December 16th a bunch of ladies gathered in an Antwerp basement to make a bunch of noise. It was good.
I was ecstatic when the organiser asked me around a month earlier whether I’d like to be a DJ for a Deeat Palace performance—Vehemen was added to the bill later. While I’ve been doing these online mixes for over eight years now, it’s been a long time since I deejayed a live set—so long that I’m too embarrassed to admit how long—and it had been something of a low key dream for me to start doing that again. So first of all, thanks immensely to Diny for giving me the opportunity to do just that.
The evening was a resounding success, in my opinion. We gathered in S14, which is an Antwerp townhouse converted into a queer living/art/hack space. We hooked up our wires, pumped sound from the basement to the living room which would become a social / chill area for the guests later that night. And we pumped video, too! (Thanks Caro Orca). Both Deeat Palace and Vehemen delighted with super-intense rhythmic noise sets, of which you can get a chaotic impression in my insta videos ici (caution, this shit is LOUD):
You know what was the great thing? This whole evening was produced by women, ~90% of the guests were women, and the vibe was the absolute best. You and I both know that experimental and underground music is, like pretty much all music, a male-dominated field, and this is reflected in many gigs, events, and other scene things. Of course this is not always a huge problem as long as dudes behave themselves, but, well… yeah, we know how that goes.
But that’s why this was such a refreshing event to be and play at, and I hope I reflected that in my playlist, which is purposefully focused sharply (almost exclusively) on female artists. This meant a bit more digging through my collection, but I believe the result is worth it. So, enjoy these studio impressions (think of them as platonic ideals or alternate takes) of the set I played at S14:
Full tracklist:
Alison Cotton - A Tragedy in The Tithe Barn
poemme - with the changing of the leaves
The Floating World - Anemone (2 versions)
Maria Monti - Aria, terra, acqua e fuoco
ARIADNE - fount of love
Áine O’Dwyer - Hyperbolia / Boatwoman
Vouna - Last Dream
Leah Buckareff - Ochre
Olga Wojciechowska - Lazy Indifference
Yazz Ahmed - La Saboteuse
Isnaj Dui - That Which Was Lost
Jamie Awakshidar feat. Evelyn Glyndwr - Metro + Interstellar
Music for Indoor Pools - I: 3
AUN - La Luna
Elizabeth Joan Kelly - Sci Fi Drive
Barbara Morgenstern - Hands Dance
Sixth Comm - Birth of the Seven
Zavoloka - Flame From Within
Adult. - Everything & Nothing
Diamanda Galás - This Is the Law of the Plague
Diamanda Galás - Deliver Me from Mine Enemies
Wolves in the Throne Room - A Looming Resonance
Aïsha Devi - 1%
Björk - Army of Me
FOOZOOL - AZAT Ազատ
ARGIFLEX - Crystal Highway (DAWtypeBeat)
valyri - ntccccccccPN.11lr(diminisssssssswaste)op.29
Shanna Sordahl - The Strength of Blue
Natalia Beylis - Cats Are Sleeping
Allseits - Hel
Swans - Children of God
Hante. - Empty Space
Wizard Apprentice - Sensuality
Semiotics Department of Heteronyms - She Uncovers Before Me
Rojin Sharafi - Pulp
Ingrid Laubrock - Contemporary Chaos Practices Part 4
ARIADNE - half-open mouth
ProtoU- Pel
Julia Kent & Jean D.L. - Part Four
Nico - Valley of the Kings
Jessica Sligter & Wilbert Bulsink - C
Hawthonn - Lady of the Flood
ProtoU - Skar Mekh
Artefactum - The Sorceress
Elizabeth Veldon - on passing a rowan (for nicky who may be a witche’s familiar)
Hildegard von Bingen - Columba Aspexit
Halgrath - Consecration
Troum & Nadja - Dominium Visgurgis Part 2
The Body - The Myth Arc
ASVA with Val Dorr - Canteloube
Menace Ruine - Cup of Oblivion