Strong Swiss presence at the Amsterdam Dance Event, 14 – 18 October 2015
There is no bigger or more important – or more entertaining, for that matter – conference/festival in Europe with a focus on all forms of dance music than the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). Started in 1996, ADE now attracts well over 5000 business professionals to a extensive program of daytime panels, keynote speeches, networking sessions and workshops. The festival itself features more than 2000 artists performing in 115 venues and draws around 350’000 music fans from all over the world to Amsterdam.
With Switzerland’s strong tradition in dance music and electronica it comes as no surprise to find a large Swiss contingent of artists and DJs in this year’s ADE program. This includes Adriatique, Andrea Oliva, Eli Vereine, Jamie Lewis, Kellerkind, Liquid Soul, Mendo, Ripperton, Steven Stone and Sonja Moonear. Two names, however, should be of special interest to the readers of the Swiss Music Export newsletter: Aïsha Devi and Boris Blank.
Aïsha Devi does not mince her words – this is how describes her “Conscious Cunt EP”, released last spring: “Sluts, awareness, death, and women in a patriarchal society, enlightenment, violence, resistance, mothers, daughters, consciousness, Guy Debord, Vedas and eternity”. The Tibetan/Swiss singer and electronica experimenter releases her debut album “Of Matter and Spirit” (named after the last book written by her physicist/researcher grandfather) in October on London-based Houndstooth, the label started by the Fabric Club. Geneva-born Aïsha Devi is not quite the newcomer she appears to be, however. She had already enjoyed considerable success in her previous guise as Kate Wax before she adopted her new name. Defining her style as “danse noir” and “yogi beat”, hers are dark and spooky soundscapes made all the more other-worldly by her ghostly and nebulously exotic vocal style.
Aïsha Devi will be performing at ADE as part of a Houndstooth showcase on Saturday, 17 October 2015
19:00 – 22:30h – Sugar Factory, Lijnbaansgracht 238, Amsterdam
Boris Blank truly needs no introduction. As the studio-muso half of Yello, he is without a doubt one of the most important musicians Switzerland has ever produced. Boris will be appearing twice at ADE as a speaker. First, on Thursday, 15 October, he will be part of a panel, “Meet the Godfathers”, with Kenny Dope (US), Manuel Göttsching (DE), Paul Hartnoll (GB), Irmin Schmidt (DE), Dave Clarke (GB) and Gary Smith (GB). The next day – Friday, 16 October – under the heading “Meet the Studio Maestros”, Boris alongside Orbital’s Paul Hartnoll (GB) will be discussing their working methods.
Amsterdam Dance Event Website
Amsterdam Dance Event Aïsha Devi
Amsterdam Dance Event Houndstooth Showcase
Amsterdam Dance Event Boris Blank
Amsterdam Dance Event „Meet the Godfathers“
Amsterdam Dance Event „Meet the Studio Maestros“
Aïsha Devi Facebook
Aïsha Devi Danse noir Website
Boris Blank / Yello Website
