Following the release of their superb new album Glass Bird Movement on Morr Music last year the excellent English electronica duo ISAN come to Berlin for a special live show at Gretchen in January 2017.
On their first album in six years, ISAN once more weave together electronic soundscapes, delicate rhythms and the occasional odd sound into a pulsating, ever-morphing whole. Glass Bird Movement is Antony Ryan and Robin Saville’s eighth studio album since they have started the project two decades ago. Exchanging ideas between England and Denmark, where Ryan currently resides, ISAN have crafted an album which is reminiscent of heyday Boards Of Canada productions, the friendlier ventures of Aphex Twin or the most focused moments of Ulrich Schnauss, if you will.
From minimalism to melody and back again, Isan have been navigating the aural Autobahn since a chance meeting brought together Robin Saville and Antony Ryan in 1996. With Robin based in England and Antony residing in Denmark, they creatively communicate via email, telephone and postcard. Notes are compared and directions assimilated or abandoned, they prefer to allow their sound to develop on its own. Continually progressing their passion for sound, Isan are not afraid of giving their analogue tone poems space to breathe, placing as much importance on void and silence as on sounds – sometimes vibrant and scratchy, sometimes hymnal and opulent.
Their sonic design sits somewhere between the Düsseldorf sounds of Kraftwerk and neu!, the invention of a young Eno and the smart-pop expertise of the Cocteau Twins. They’ve remixed and been remixed by the likes of Depeche Mode, The Notwist, Seefeel and Piano Magic amongst others. Isan have also brought their Kosmische confection to the stage, gracing respected festivals such as Sonar and the Big Chill and playing as far afield as China, Japan, Iceland, Russia and Hull*.
ISAN Live
Saturday, 28th January 2017 | 19:30 CET
Gretchen | Obentrautstr. 19 – 21 | 10963 Berlin/Kreuzberg
isan.co.uk | gretchen-club.de | morrmusic.com
