Music
Somerset House Studios

Lafawndah: Antimony

Sat 26 Sep 2020
19.00
Online

To coincide with the release of newly released album The Fifth Season, critically acclaimed vocalist, and producer Lafawndah premieres a new sound piece, Antinomy for ASSEMBLY.

Taking the form of a radiophonic play, Antimony acts as an extended narrative companion piece to the artist’s album, further expanding the interaction between Lafawndah’s own storytelling and Jemisin’s. Adopting a composition approach that cites inspiration from Mark Fisher & Justin Barton's expansive audio-essay On Vanishing Land, revolutionary radio documentary The Idea of North by pianist Glenn Gould, and the dramatic tradition of the Greek chorus, Antimony sees Lafawndah explore sonics as a tool for vivid world-building. 

Antimony’s narrative is crafted through the interweaving of newly recorded elements with the live and improvised takes that make up The Fifth Season, repurposed and arranged with spatialised production from immersive sound studio Call & Response to create a piece, that in its use of space and movement, suggests a physicality; organic and alive.

Lafawndah is joined by DJ, producer and critic Christelle Oyiri in conversation ahead of the evening’s performance.

Credits:
Original music written by Lafawndah
Extract of The Fifth Season written by Lafawndah, Nick Weiss (keyboards), Theon Cross (tuba), Nathanial Cross (trombone)  and Valentina Magaletti (percussions)
Story written by Lafawndah & Trustfall
Storyteller: Orian Barki
Antimony written and performed by Assia Ghendir

Assembly 2020's artist residency programme Sonic Terrains is supported by Jerwood Arts' Development Programme Fund.

Media partner: The Wire