About LIFEM 2009

London International Festival of Exploratory Music (LIFEM) is a festival of inspired and boundary-expanding music explorations committed to the exciting world of life and music of all sorts of genres and origins. Aiming to surprise, enrich, enlighten and empower audiences, LIFEM challenges musical boundaries by programming ground-breaking exploratory music from all corners of the world. It is a catalyst for change, showcasing excellence and excitement, instigating international collaborations and experimentation, enthusing interculturalism and knowledge sharing. Expect innovative and inspiring music from all over the world. As part of LIFEM, there is also a free program of music related films shown in the UK for the very first time.

Explore (verb): to search and discover (about something).
Exploratory (adjective): in order to discover more about something.

Exploratory Music: term coined by Miguel Santos back in 2000 when he started the famous Exploratory Music From Portugal CD series (distributed with magazines such as The Wire and Songlines) as well as when he started the festival Atlantic Waves, Exploratory Music From Portugal. At the time, most people questioned what was Exploratory Music. These days it is a common jargon, used either by Poles (Exploratory Music From Poland 01, CD distributed by The Wire in May 2009), Australians (Melbourne Biennale of Exploratory Music 2008, Articulating Space Festival of Exploratory Music 2009), Canadians (Mutek 2009) or Portuguese (Out Festival 2009).

Exploratory music is music that is challenging, interesting, different. It promotes creativity in all genres and forms. It is a starting point, not an arrival one. It is more an attitude than a musical genre, a different way of experiencing music, a pro-active approach instead of a passive one. It is going out there, find out what is exciting and bring it back here and let everyone know about it.

Where else can you see UK minimalist avant chamber pop; Inuk snow songs, ice folk and throat singing from Canadian and Greenland Eskimos; old and new world music touching approaches from Ireland, Turkey, Iraq and China; the newest exotic electro Latin sounds from Brazil; Gypsy, old Klezmer wedding music and Ceilidh from France, Poland and UK; and exquisite organic electronica from Japan? Plus a five-star audiovisual programme, all UK premieres, by award-winning artists?

This is definitely not your traditional jazz or world music festival. At LIFEM you will be surprised, excited, find out about music you have not seen and heard before.

LIFEM: Life with Music is so much more exciting!

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Miguel Santos on LIFEM

London International Festival of Exploratory Music

(interview conducted by Emrah Tokalac, Kings Place)

When I say this is a festival of exploratory music, I am not really referring to a genre. It is rather a proactive attitude about all kinds of music. My inspiration is the 15th- and 16th-century European explorers who would set out from the Continent and sail through the Atlantic to discover the rest of the world.

What I explore in music is something that is different, surprising and challenging, so it is essential that LIFEM should differ from other festivals. Curiosity is my main motive. There are so many interesting musical cultures out there, and like many other people, I have yet to encounter them all. That urges me to explore more, often bringing me surprises which I love to share.

This year’s LIFEM is again full of exciting and novel acts. It starts with two classically-influenced artists from Britain: singer-composer Jenni Roditi, whose genre-shifting voice and diverse music fuse different forms in a minimalistic trend, and Andrew Poppy, an eclectic artist whose music has been compared to Cabaret Voltaire and Philip Glass.

In terms of themes, we have a Japanese night that introduces a very modern kind of electronic music by Midori Hirano, Oorutaichi and DJ Scotch Egg. Likewise, the Brazilian night treats us with three acts by Coletivo Rádio Cipó, Madame Mim and Da Cruz: modern Brazilian music that is not just traditional samba or bossa nova.

We also have a Chinese act, but forget the stereotyped associations of Chinese music with traditional Far Eastern tunes: Lonely China Day is a modern rock band, with a very different approach than most Anglo-American bands. Their concert is preceded by the Gaelic singer Lorcán Mac Mathúna’s inspiring rendition of Irish folk tunes, and Tri a Tolia, combining Turkish voice, Iraqi qanun and Belgian cello for a performance of sad, beautiful songs about love, loss and longing.

Another thematic night takes us to as far as the Arctic territories, pairing the acts of two Eskimo performers: Tanya Tagaq, the contemporary Inuit throat singer-composer from Nunavut – Canada, has collaborated with names such as Björk and Kronos Quartet; and Nive Nielsen is an Inuk singer-songwriter from Greenland, accompanying her songs with her ukulele.

I am equally enthusiastic about the night of Gypsy, Klezmer and Ceilidh. That is bound to be extremely rich and diverse as the music of Les Yeux Noirs (France); Cukunft (Poland) and Monster Ceilidh Band (UK) represent three old traditions of social dance and party music culture.

While having such a diverse programme to enjoy, it is also delightful to see Kings Place as the new home to LIFEM. Perfectly located next to King’s Cross – St Pancras, the new gateway to Europe, I think it is an ideal venue for such a festival as it embraces all types of musical genres and activities, an attitude which I very much appreciate.

In the meantime, keep an eye on lifem.org.uk for a free downloadable compilation album and other exciting news…