Música Esporádica #3
New music and events for April-May '25.
Ah, March flew by, and good riddance! Despite the assertions of one quite famous poet, April is turning out to be not so cruel, after all. The month of March was a bit uneven for me personally – I caught the flu, which was a downer, but I also caught a few great shows, which was great. So, in the end, it all balanced out.
Now, among the (few) highlights of the month – between coughs and going for yet another cup of ginger tea – I watched a wonderful documentary by Johan Grimonprez, “Soundtrack to a Coup d'État.” Highly recommended if you're interested in any of these things – Jazz music, anti-colonialism, the Cold War, Patrice Lumumba, Nikita Khrushchev, CIA, and many other things. As one Letterboxd reviewer aptly put it – watching this movie is like going for an "entire night going on Wikipedia deep dives" powered by Red Bull. Couldn't agree more.
As for the shows' highlights – it was really great seeing Asuna with his "100 Keyboards" piece on one of Bcosof's listening sessions at ACME. I won't go into the details of the piece as it's quite technical, but there were indeed 100 keyboards (seemed like it, at least), and here's a short video from the event:
Another highlight was, perhaps, the latest Real No Real show, which this time included Nina Harker and fiesta en el vacío. Real No Real is one of my favorite event series for a simple reason: I never know what to expect, yet I always leave pleasantly surprised and inspired. I was particularly impressed by Nina Harker – the music, for some inexplicable reason, reminded me of Alice Rohrwacher's latest film, “La Chimera”. There was something about the vibe that made it easy to imagine this music on its soundtrack. There was also (as far as I can tell) a mix of different languages during that performance, which, if you're interested in this sort of stuff – I highly recommend you read this excellent substack post about Megrelian language. It's very good, I promise!
Anyways! Over the past month, I’ve listened to some great Madrid-related records, and April is packed with shows! Unfortunately, I’ll have to miss a few — but for a good reason: I’m heading to País Vasco. If you have any recommendations, especially for San Sebastián, let me know!
Oh, and since the last dispatch, I've released a couple of episodes of my show, "Building Bridges," on Radio Relativa. If you're interested in ambient and experimental music from Eastern and Central Europe (and you should be because it's great!), you can listen to them on Radio Relativa’s website or on SoundCloud.
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Now onto this months’ recs:
Reviews
Here are a few releases that I've enjoyed a lot during the past month:
Verde Prato - Bizitza eztia [plan b]
Verde Prato, a project of Basque singer-songwriter Ana Arsuaga Arambarri, is out with a new record on Madrid's plan b. Composed in collaboration with the great Italian DJ and producer Donato Dozzy (whose "Plays Bee Mask" is a huge influence on the author of this newsletter), this album neatly packs seven lush compositions into a modest 25-minute odyssey exploring art and ambient pop, with hints of new age and even reggaetón. The album press release says that the idea and concept of this album emerged from visiting Rome and drawing on its many artistic influences - Fellini, Giotto. What's more – the title of this album is "Dolce Vita" in Euskera. It all really shows – it's monumental and soft at the same time – like a marble sculpture. This one's a slowburner, though – while I wasn't initially hooked, I can't really stop playing it now. Gorgeous record, perfect for this time of the year.
Vanity Productions - An Eternity Still [Polymorphism]
A new album by a Danish artist released by Madrid-based Polymorphism as part of their series with artists from different parts of the world, keeping a similar graphic design line and supporting different non-profit organizations (part of proceeds from this release will go to Teamtrees and The Ocean Cleanup). If you like to have your tracks called somewhat existential, like "Slow Oscillating Void" or "Vanishing Point", then this one's for you! Jokes aside, the record does sound huge – as is customary for a mainstay of a now-sadly-defunct Posh Isolation – like a blackhole opening up and devouring everything in its way. Tracks like "Vanishing Point" or the title track remind me of a quote often misattributed to Yuri Gagarin, but actually from Khrushchev: "Gagarin flew into space, but didn't see any god there." But I digress! Huge recommendation for anyone following Subtext releases, Posh Isolation aficionados, or Ben Frost – especially his soundtrack work.
Emil Saiz - Cycles of Disappearance [self-released]
A beautiful ambient guitar record from Emil Saiz, in the musician's own words – "an experiment on how to use the creative process to heal oneself." The recording approach for this record was a natural one – everything was recorded not in traditional studios, but instead during the musician's pilgrimage down the Atlantic coast of the Iberian peninsula, with minimal edits and no post-production, where what we hear on the record is the first full take. This record certainly feels this way – in the best sense. It's a living, breathing organism – a raw nerve, bursting with emotion. The standout tracks here are the longest ones, where the emotion and vision come to their absolute – reverb-laden and distorted to the point where the lack of post-production actually elevates them. Also, this one sounds like its cover – always a huge plus in my book.
Notzing - Dubchla [:knotzept:]
This one's for the heads – cranky dub explorations with Buchla 200t, mixed live with 207t mixers and the 296t spectral processor by Madrid-based producer Dario García. While the original description focuses a lot on the technical aspects of how the release was created, don't let it intimidate you. It also sounds amazing! I've been spinning this one for the last few days – and I'm truly amazed by the intricacy of this, how, with such minimal sound palette, this record resembles an echoey hall of mirrors. Fans of Basic Channel – get this one quick!
Shows
05/04/2025 – Patchwork w/ Hermeneia at Sala Siroco. Tickets.
Hermeneia returns to Madrid, bringing the hardcore continuum through dub, dancehall, and footwork. Expect a healthy dose of forward-thinking soundsystem culture.
10/04/2025 – Modo Avión: Hara Alonso & Ellen Söderhult presentan Touch-Me-Not at MK2 Cine Paz. Tickets.
Hara Alonso and Ellen Söderhult explore a fundamental question: how can we touch sound and be touched by it? Their work moves between raw intimacy and dense emotional layers, combining field recordings, nostalgic synths, and vocals in unpredictable yet flowing patterns.
12/04/2025 – Ballard desubicado. Encuentro, arte, música, performance at La Casa Incendida. Tickets.
An event that takes J.G. Ballard's work as its starting point before wandering into unexpected territories.
12/04/2025 – Donations Project + Música Dispersa at Specka. Tickets.
Música Dispersa joins forces with Bilbao-based art association Donations Project. Expect an afternoon of harsh electronics, experimental techno, and audiovisual performances that fuse music, light, and visuals into a distinctive aesthetic that defines both collectives.
14/04/2025 – Margareth Kammerer (electric guitar and voice) y Lorena Izquierdo (action poetry) at Cruce. Tickets.
A collaboration between guitarist/vocalist Margareth Kammerer and action poet Lorena Izquierdo. Expect an evening of experimental music and performative poetry that pushes the boundaries of both disciplines.
16/04/2025 – Campos de Marte Exp. @ Madrid con Diane Barbé, Mauricio Moquillaza, Munda y Raquel G. Ibáñez at Espacio Monederos. Tickets.
Four artists work in the spaces between established forms. Worth experiencing if you're tired of knowing exactly what you're going to get.
22/04/2025 – Trio Alvorada. Centenario Carlos Paredes at Caixa Forum. Tickets.
A tribute to the Portuguese guitarist who could make six strings sound like an entire orchestra. Trio Alvorada approaches Paredes' work with both reverence and fresh perspective.
23/04/2025 – Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. at Moby Dick. Tickets.
Japan's leading psychonauts will visit Madrid to celebrate 30 years since the founding of their "soul collective.
24/04/2025 – James Holden & Waclaw Zimpel (live) + Lucient (Dj) at Sala Copérnico. Tickets.
Holden's electronic structures meet Zimpel's clarinet in what should be a fascinating dialogue between digital and organic. The event will be supported by Lucient’s selections.
24/04/2025 – Scordatura Ensemble y The Amsterdam Partch Project: Música Microtonal de Harry Partch y James Tenney at CentroCentro. Tickets.
A rare chance to hear music that exists between the notes of conventional Western tuning. Partch and Tenney's microtonal works make you question everything you thought you knew about harmony.
26/04/2025 – Ruidoso Paisaje Club at High Club Room. Tickets.
The experimental collective takes over a club space, blurring the line between contemplative listening and physical response.
26/04/2025 – LIMO: Elshan Ghasimi at CentroCentro. Tickets.
Iranian santur player Elshan Ghasimi brings her unique approach to traditional Persian music to LIMO's Saturday matinée series. Her work explores the fertile ground between ancient musical traditions and contemporary experimentation.
29/04/2025 – Fennesz & Lillevan Live A/V at Teatros de Canal. Tickets.
Fennesz's guitar-based drones and glitches meet Lillevan's visuals. If you're familiar with Fennesz's work, you'll know what to expect – but the addition of Lillevan adds a new dimension.
That’s it from me this month! I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for reading! Again, I’d love to hear from you, let’s chat!