FOCUS: FJAAK - Antenes

FJAAK is an electronic music trio from Berlin. Having grown up together, they began to create all types of music made with microphones, guitars and drums in a dark, chaotic and dirty cellar at quite an early age. After getting in touch with the Berlin underground techno scene, days and nights started being all about music. Whether it was chopping beats on the MPC in the morning hours or studying manuals, the internet, vinyl stores and Schneiders Buero. Starting to gain worldwide attention in 2009 with an alternative and boundary-pushing take on classic techno, house and breakbeat they have meanwhile started their own party series based on all hardware setups and vinyl only – machine vibes. Starting off with open-air events in Berlin, machine vibes now takes place in carefully selected venues around Europe. In 2014 they signed to 50Weapons and have since released two captivating and very fresh sounding techno EPs. Modeselektor have hot tipped them to be the next big thing. We cannot wait to hear more.

New York-based DJ, producer and electronics artist Antenes operates a laboratory of self-made sequencers and synthesizers using vintage telephone equipment built in the name of sonic and spatial exploration. Known for her inventive soundscapes and eclectic DJ sets, Antenes treats the studio as a space for sculpting emergent patterns, textures, and percussion layers. Drawing musical influence from the curious and ephemeral sound-world of outdated telephone systems, her productions and live sets often integrate sounds reminiscent of pulsing analog relay switching systems, errant radio transmissions, cross-continental echo, signature drones and message interferences between the wires. A Brooklyn resident by way of Chicago, her vinyl DJ sets dive into acid-laced techno, shimmering electro, shadowy atmospheres and beyond, with a particular ear for odd percussions and syncopations. Her sensibilities as a DJ have awarded three of her podcasts (LIES 025, Juno Plus 119, and Phormix 44) to be featured in Fact Magazine’s Week’s Best Mixes column. Her 2015 solo production debut, The Track of a Storm EP on L.I.E.S. reveals three tracks of otherworldly techno infused with “lazer shot synthwork,” “ghostly noise layers,” “muscular bass shapes and sparking percussions,"(per Boomkat) appearing on the 2015 best-of lists for Juno and Fact magazine. She recently collaborated with Moog Music in modifying their analog circuits into new instruments for a large scale installation and durational performance, “The Exchange” at MoogFest 2016. Her first collaborative/duo performance took place alongside Electric Indigo at the Roulette Theatre in Brooklyn, in support of synth pioneer Suzanne Ciani. A devoted practitioner of boundary-crossing between genres, Antenes has held residencies for electronic arts at Harvestworks (NYC) and Signal Culture (Owego NY) and has appeared at numerous interdisciplinary events including the New York Electronic Arts Festival, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory’s “Intersections” exhibition (Batavia, IL), Open House London’s Sonic Visitations, and Trinity College’s Science Gallery (Dublin). Inspired by the Buchla 100 modular system, her synth work is featured in the 2013 film I Dream of Wires: The Modular Synthesizer Documentary, as well as in several master’s theses including Mills College, Fashion Institute of Technology and Clemson University. She also leads hands-on DIY synth workshops, having recently lectured at CalArts, Oberlin, and UC-Boulder’s music departments, along with Monthly Music Hackathon, Dame Electric at Pioneerworks and Women’s Synth Workshop at the Kitchen (NYC). Antenes is currently an Artist in Resident at Issue Project Room, co-sponsored by Bell Labs.