La Tène (FR/CH)

Like a large, buzzing sound insect, La Tène moves somewhere between the psychedelic and the primitive, the minimalist and the overwhelming. With cabrette and bagpipes, percussion, harmonium and electronics, the French-Swiss sextet creates a music that feels at once primeval and futuristic. Come and surrender to a droning and trance-inducing aural embrace as La Tène plays on ALICE, presented in collaboration with Final Descent. The concert is supported by Nørrebro Local Committee.

“La Tène deliver one of the best gigs I have ever seen, a mega-maximal expulsion of magma that builds and builds until it reaches totally ecstatic overwhelm.” — The Quietus

Since the release of their debut ten years ago, La Tène have made their mark with a distinctive sound that blends folk, noise, dub and hypnotic minimalism. First as a trio and now as a sextet, it has turned into four albums that mainstream media such as The Quietus and The Wire have highlighted as some of the best of the year. In addition, through numerous collaborations, the group has repeatedly explored the fissures between ancient music traditions and modern experimentation.

La Tène's music is based on repetition as a kind of engine, in which small musical movements are repeated, shifted and enlarged until they assume an almost physical force. In their sound, the roughness of wood and metal meets with electronic textures and dub layers, while the mechanical pulse of the machines intertwines with the organic breath of the harmonies. With cabrette and bagpipes, guitar, bass, drums, harmonium and electronics, La Tène creates a music that feels ancient and futuristic at once. La Tène are notorious for their live concerts, in which long, repetitive numbers slowly unfold and take shape like living sonic creatures. Come November, you can experience the sextet live as they perform material from their latest three albums in a rare and intense listening experience. The concert is presented by Final Descent and ALICE and is supported by Nørrebro Local Committee.

Line-up

Cyril Bondi: drums, percussion

Laurent Peter/D'incise: Indian harmonium, electronics

Guilhem Lacroux: guitarra

Jérémie Sauvage: bass

Louis Jacques: cabrette (bagpipes from Auvergne), bagpipes

Jacques Puech: cabrette (bagpipe from Auvergne)

Said about La Tène

“Another gem from France's experimental hurdy gurdy underground, with a more traditional but no less mind-melding approach. La Tène is another example of this cyclic, repetitive trance music, but it's mainly acoustic instrumentation which I think is really interesting. You don't often hear that as new music.” -- Stephen O'Malley from Sunn O))) in Bandcamp Daily