FLUID FORM CLUB presents passionately unpredictable music that escapes classification, bringing together a community of curious minds. This is a regular series hosted by Witch ‘n’ Monk who will perform at Fluid Form Club #7 with PoiL Ueda who detonate the limits of rock and Japanese folklore: where universes converge in perfect osmosis. They will be joined by live video artist Ilan Katin.
POIL UEDA is the convergence of ancient Japanese chants, angular riffs and entirely unruly rhythms: where universes converge in perfect osmosis. PoiL Ueda is the result of a collaboration between Junko Ueda, a vocalist and satsuma-biwa player from Japan, and PoiL, a French rock/contemporary music band. The music is based on the 13th-century Japanese epic tale “Heike-Monogatari.”
Vocalist Junko Ueda is an eminent figure of the Japanese medieval epic storytelling, whose warm and profound voice summons terrestrial energies, meeting with the organic madness of the monster PoiL, who create cosmic rock without a safety net. Buddhist chants practiced by monks to ward off evil spirits meet legends of ancient naval battles and the grievous decline of empires. Junko’s stories surf freely on PoiL’s tumultuous waves pulsing with brashness and precision. The compositions are based on traditional epic singing accompanied by the satsuma-biwa and Buddhist Shomyo chant. Through the fusion of an ancient Japanese traditional music with a hyper modern European musical formation, this project offers the opportunity to discover a unique musical universe.
An innovative performance where PoiL’s unrestrained experimental rock blends with the mellow and sinuous voice, compelling narrative, and remarkable charisma of Junko Ueda.
Defiantly original duo Witch ‘n’ Monk combine Mauricio Velasierra’s radically electrified Latin American flutes, with Heidi Heidelberg’s jazz-punk guitar/bass and anarchic soprano vocals. The music travels seamlesly from structured arrangements to wild improvisations, using a myriad of control pedals and labyrinthine signal paths to orchestrate live. The essence of their collaboration is encapsulated in the name; dark/light, feminine/masculine, punk/Romantic. Creating contrast is fundamental to their work and thus they tread upon the edges of genres. Celebrated in jazz, contemporary classical and DIY music scenes they have played prestigious venues and festivals such as the Royal Festival Hall, Berlin, London and Umea Jazz Festivals and Paris’ La Cigale.
Their latest album was released on John Zorn’s legendary Tzadik Records in 2020 to critical acclaim. It was named Contemporary Album of the Month by The Guardian and received the prestigious Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik.
