Sangre de Muérdago premiere new single via Roadburn.com
We’re delighted to share the premiere of a new single from Sangre de Muérdago today. As one of our 2023 artists in residence this Galician ensemble will perform three times across the Roadburn weekend; one of those performances will be centred around their brand new, upcoming album O VENTO QUE LAMBE AS MIÑAS FERIDAS.
For over 15 years Sangre de Muérdago have been crafting their intimate and distinctive take on folk music; the upcoming album will be their sixth full length. Their thoughtful missives look backwards towards the musical heritage that has helped shaped them, but they have one eye on the future and how these sounds and stories will be remembered in years to come.
The single we’re sharing today is taken from that album, and is titled Wo sich Fuchs und Hase gute Nacht sagen. As Sangre de Muérdago main man Pablo C. Ursusson tells us, the song holds a personal meaning for him:
“[This is] a song that was initially born after getting to know the news of a person killed for their sexual orientation in a town I call home. Yet the song is lyrically written through the eyes and wishes of different animals, I hope the deep meaning of this song comes through the words and melodies in it found. An embrace to diversity, that everyone that has been feeling “different” does it with confidence and conviction.
“There shall be no burden in our heart choices, we owe to ourselves to trust the signs that our hearts are giving us. So, let’s live our lives in plenitude, respect and honour each other, free ourselves to live and love and feel our own way, no matter what anybody could think about it. There’s only one way to feel different, which is the good way. In loving memory of all victims of hatred, regardless of their species, and dedicated to all those who dare to try to reach the impossible to turn it into possible.”
Pre-orders for O VENTO QUE LAMBE AS MIÑAS FERIDAS will be available in due course, and the album will be released via the band’s own labelMúsica Máxica, as well as Throne Records and Neuropa Records
Roadburn completes 2023 line up with 25 new names
Roadburn has announced the final names for its main musical programme for the 2023 edition. Zola Jesus, Backxwash, Nicole Dollanganger and White Boy Scream are among the 25 new additions to the line up. Roadburn 2023 will take place between April 20-23, with a pre-festival show on Wednesday, April 19.
Roadburn’s artistic director, Walter Hoeijmaker comments:
“We’re delighted to announce the final names for the Roadburn 2023 line up. As has been said before, this year’s Roadburn will be a journey of discovery. The lineup is purposely focused on bands that have begun to make their mark over the last few years, and so, it’s also a reflection of the current underground. It was our aim to offer a lot of these bands and artists a platform to excel in front of a passionate and open-minded audience.
“We are so grateful to everyone who has gone to great lengths to help bring these artists to Roadburn. When you look at the full lineup, we sincerely hope you share our excitement. It’s our intention to make sure that Roadburn is a home away from home for everyone involved; the bands, the attendees, the industry folk, the staff.
“Roadburn 2023 is a celebration of underground music and culture; it will be a hub for positivity, creativity and artistry, and in a spirit of defiance it will bring hope in the face of the many adversities of our times. We thank you for this opportunity. We can’t wait to celebrate with you.”
New line up additions:
Zola Jesus will return to Roadburn, performing a full band show on the main stage on Sunday, as well as presenting her solo electronic project, NIKA on Saturday night. Backxwash will make her European debut with two special performances at Roadburn. Also playing her first show in Europe will be Nicole Dollanganger, who released a new album this January.
White Boy Scream will bring distinctive operatic vocals, noise and drone to Roadburn. Meanwhile Esben and the Witch will perform their just-announced new album, Hold Sacred, in full at the festival. Ashenspire will play their first show on Dutch soil as one of the most-requested underground bands for this year. Ashenspire share members with both Maud the Moth and Healthyliving who will also be performing, the latter band playing their first ever show.
EBM artist Sierra will be making the trip from Paris to bring her danceable anthems to Roadburn. Sweden will be represented by psych-pop masters, The Hanged Man, whilst Mai Mai Mai will present what has been described as ‘Mediterranean Hauntology’, a distinctive take on folk, minimal music, synthwave, industrial, dream pop and ambient.
Sowulo will also reimagine elements of folk music with tribalistic songs and an immersive performance. Marion Leclercq will bring her Mütterlein project to Roadburn, complete with ominous ambience, and soul-shredding vocals.
Further threads of folk can be found with Osi and the Jupiter who will bring their Appalachian-tinged take to Tilburg. Elsewhere Grift will present an intimate form of Nordic folk to Roadburn audiences. After releasing his debut solo album last year, guitarist Mat Ball will do double duty – performing his own solo set as well as taking to the main stage with Big Brave who were previously announced.
The Golden Grass are setting off on a groove-laden boogie odyssey, and we’re all invited along for the ride. The Sonic Dawn will continue this sun-kissed trip into the unknown as they roll into Tilburg this coming April with their psychedelic overtones. Experimental trio, France, will present a drone/folk infusion, complete with hurdy-gurdy! Iskandr brings a more ominous, darker tone to Roadburn in a set where black metal, doom and psychedelia will converge.
We’ve witnessed Enphin’s members before under the name Mr. Peter Hayden and later known them by their PH-insignia; they will return to Roadburn to distill elements of doom metal, electronica, heavy psychedelia, ambient and post-rock in wholly imaginative ways. Crouch are a new project featuring two members of Wiegedood; although in the early stages of performing live, they promise something slow and heavy for Roadburn attendees.
Colombian producer Filmmaker will bring his dark, atmospheric and – yes – cinematic electronic offerings to Roadburn this year. And last but not least, Rotterdam’s VULVA wear their hearts on their sleeves in an explosion of colour, vibrancy and radical action.
Unfortunately, Birth – who were previously announced for Roadburn – have had to cancel their upcoming European tour plans. See below for a statement from the band.
“It is with heavy heart that, due to circumstances beyond the control of ourselves, our booking agent and the promoters we’ve been dealing with, we need to postpone all non-US touring engagements until the second half of 2023. It is specifically galling that we won’t be able to make it to Roadburn this year, a festival where we have played on numerous occasions in the past in different incarnations and a place we all have an attachment to.” – Birth, 2023
More information on these artists can be found on our line-up page. They join previously announced artists including Deafheaven, Boy Harsher, Cave In, Julie Christmas, Wolves In The Throne Room, Giles Corey, Chat Pile, four commissioned projects, two artists in residence, a Rocket Recordings showcase, and more.
Tickets for Roadburn 2023 are already on sale; Friday and Saturday tickets are sold out, but weekend tickets, Thursday and Sunday tickets remain. Accommodation options are also available to purchase. All information can be found on our ticket page.
Këkht Aräkh added to line-up
It’s the season of goodwill… so we decided to squeeze in one more announcement before Christmas. We’re thrilled to announced that the live debut of Këkht Aräkh will take place at Roadburn 2023!
This mysterious project fuses the rawness of black metal with more tender, melancholic elements to stunning effect. Join us in April to witness this exclusive performance. Tickets are on sale now via our ticket page.
Këkht Aräkh will preform at Sunday 23 april 2023
Blissmountain Sessions 2022 - Videos Premiering Now
Exile on Mainstream Records are no strangers either to Roadburn or support creative projects far beyond the confines of genre. They are dear friends and reliable allies in our project to redefine heaviness across styles, artforms, and more.
Blissmountain Sessions brings together Exile on Mainstream artists Conny Ochs, Arne Heesch and the duo MIGHT, as well as fire poi-spinning artist Johanna Kohl for specially filmed live sets captured at the foot of the Sassolungo and Sassopiatto massif, in Italy’s Dolomites, to pay tribute to the beauty of the mountains and creativity itself.
Amid an atmosphere distinct and separate from festivals, unfolding in a manner as organic as the grass around, these performances took place in front of locals and others who happened by, a ‘happening’ more than a show, set before an invariably humbling backdrop of natural beauty complemented by human art.
Will it ever happen again? Will we know ahead of time? Hard to say, but as took place on Sept. 23, 2022, filmed on multiple cameras, each set is now available to stream in full. We encourage you to dig in with an open mind and open spirit. For best results, leave expectations behind.
Arne Heesch
MIGHT
Conny Ochs
Johanna Marie
Text by JJ Koczan from The Obelisk
Photo by Verena Stufflesser
Thank you
This weekend has been beyond our wildest dreams. The last four days has been a rollercoaster of emotions, and an absolute pleasure to share with you all.
To each and every artist that pushed the boundaries of their creativity, that took a chance on a new idea or crafted something daring and original – we are honoured that we could be a part of your journey.
To every single person who bought a ticket – whether you held on to it for two and a half years, or you picked it up last week – thank you for putting your trust in us to deliver something to make this wait worthwhile.
Together we have witnessed commissioned projects come to life, immersed ourselves in psychedelic bliss, stage dived in a skatepark, felt the floor rumble beneath our feet… we couldn’t have asked for more.
The true highlight for everyone involved with Roadburn this year has surely been the human connection forged through music. The connection has been so painfully absent but this week we felt the force of its return.
As ever, it will take some time to process what we’ve experienced, but know that there’s nowhere else we’d rather have spent this weekend.
Roadburn In Pictures From The Spark By Teddie Taylor
Radar Men From The Moon
Maggot Heart
Temple Fang
New exhibitions at Roadburn Festival
We have a few announcements this week, but first up we want to shine a light on the exhibitions we’ll be hosting at Roadburn this year. The incredible work of Manuel Tinnemans will be exhibited at the NS16 throughout the festival as he presents a career retrospective as well as a brand new book Tabula Coma.
The stark and beautiful photography of William Lacalmontie (photo on top) will be hung throughout the 013 venue, highlighting his wonderful talent.
Our official Roadburn 2022 artists, Valreza Collective will also have their work exhibited at the festival – their visuals have been key to how Roadburn 2022 has unfolded. We have an exciting audio/visual component of their art still to announce so stay tuned for more.
Jo Quail shares first snippet of commissioned work, The Cartographer
Acclaimed cellist, Jo Quail, has today shared the first snippet of music from her upcoming Roadburn-commissioned project, The Cartographer – as well as announcing that she has signed to record label By Norse.
Back in 2019 we commissioned Jo to create a piece of music to perform at Roadburn 2020. We were drawn to Jo for her incredible talent to combine classical composition with contemporary heavy music and had absolute belief in her ability to create something stunning. The pandemic delayed the performance, which will now take place in a little under two months at the 2022 edition of the festival instead. The music will remain under lock and key until Jo and her ensemble of musicians step on stage at the 013 venue in Tilburg, but a small snippet can be heard in the video below where she talks about the origins of The Cartographer.
The delayed performance enabled Jo to commit The Cartographer to record, which will be released in May via By Norse – pre-orders are available now (click here for North America)
We’re already highly anticipating this special performance, and hope that Jo’s unique creativity, insight and abilities resonate with Roadburners too. You can read a little more about The Cartographer here. Don’t miss her performance on the main stage on Saturday, April 23 – but if you can’t join us, then mark May 6 on your calendars and prepare for The Cartographer to go global.
PREMIERE: Sum of R - DAFT sessions
Having morphed into a three piece, SUM OF R are currently making the necessary preparations for Roadburn 2022, where they’ll perform their new album, Lahbryce, in full. They already released one single titled Crown of Diseased from Lahbryce, but now we are thrilled to bring you a further glimpse into what you can expect from the album as we premiere a live performance video of three tracks from the album, filmed at the DAFT studios last year. We’ll hand over to Sum of R mainman, Reto Mäder to explain more about the session:
“The new Sum Of R trio line-up saw not only a transformation from an instrumental project to a band with vocals, but also an international expansion from Switzerland to Finland. Therefore it was clear to us that we wanted to use the few meetings all the more constructively, intensively and gratefully.With this in mind, we booked a live recording day at the DAFT studios in Malmedy in early October 2021, directly following our first ever live shows with the new line-up around last year’s 24 Hours Of Deep Listening festival by Consouling Sounds in Belgium.We chose the DAFT studios mainly because of the large live room, where we could set up generously in the middle of the room, but also build an intimate playing atmosphere by facing each other in a circle. This spacious recording room with its large windows gave us the perfect setting to perform Hymn For The Formless, Sink As I and Borderline from the upcoming album Lahbryce as live versions.Playing these songs with lyrical themes of delusion, depersonalisation and trauma in pure daylight on a beautiful autumn afternoon gave a liberating acceptance and meaningfulness to these heavy topics.Special thanks go to Jeroen Mylle (camera, video edit) and Luuk Schelvis (live sound), who became part of this experience and captured it perfectly, so as to make the experience shareable in the most authentic way.Now we are gratefully looking forward to our next reunion where we will bring Lahbryce in full length to the Roadburn Festival and hope to share with this live session an extended insight into our upcoming album.”
TAU & the Drones of Praise Live at Roadburn Redux release
Back when we were planning for Roadburn Redux, one band that bowled us over with their enthusiasm for the project at hand was TAU & the Drones of Praise. Led by Seán Mulrooney, this Irish ensemble set to work creating a special recording just for us – even roping in Clannad’s Pól Brennan for good measure. Despite experiencing it via our computer screens, TAU & the Drones of Praise managed to conjure up a warm embrace of psychedelia and ancient rites that they titled Dream Awake. If you liked that, you’re gonna love the fact that they’ll be recreating some of that magic at Roadburn this year – live and in the flesh in Tilburg.
Roadburn Records will soon release the physical and digital version of the Dream Awake performance, which is available for pre-order HERE.
Click below to watch the video for Tōnatiuh – taken from the session.