Birds can also play guitar

Céleste Boursier-Mougenot
Barbican Centre
Sat 27 Feb — Sun 23 May 2010

The Curve became a walk-through aviary for a flock of zebra finches, furnished with electric guitars and other instruments and objects in Céleste Boursier-Mougenot’s commission.

Trained as a musician and composer, French artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot creates works by drawing on the rhythms of daily life to produce sound in unexpected ways.

As the birds go about their routine activities, perching on or feeding from the various pieces of equipment, they created a captivating, live soundscape.

110626 ep. 22 durcheinander

A vertiginous variation of sounds this time around. Opening with a run-off groove and gazing at the stars, then unexpectedly settling into some sort of rhythm or another. From computer hip hop to dub and some sort of electronic thump. The second half was coloured by a brief visitation from the spirit of jazz, the 'acid on acid' guitar explosions of The Human Instinct and cubist reggae like only the Snares can devise. Closing with a blissful jam on guitar and synthesizer.

Revisit.

NANA APRIL JUN (run-out groove)

SAWAKO Far Away

THE ADVISORY CIRCLE Warm Air

BOARDS OF CANADA Sunshine Recorder

CRETIN Quest

KING SUNNY ADÉ Ja Funmi (Waka version) @ 33 1/3

COMFORT FIT & JINNA MOROCHA The Moon Comes Closer

KOLLEKTIV TRUMSTRASSE Uneins

KOLLEKTIV TRUMSTRASSE Deine Distanz

GIL SCOTT-HERON The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA The Revolution

KEITH FULLERTON WHITMAN Variations for Oud & Synthesizer side B

THE HUMAN INSTINCT Stoned Guitar

VENETIAN SNARES The Identification Circles Levitate

BUDGIE The Author

HUGH MASEKELA Child of the Earth

NINA SIMONE Summertime

BISON BISON BISON jam on air

Rest in peace...