PROJECTS
BRTH CTL
Liz Kosack [synthesizer]
Annika Francke [HITA modules]
With a quirky stage presence and a huge, novel sound, they breathe life into electronics,
connecting movement and music in improvised performance.
Kosack and Francke found kindred fascinations in expressive, visceral electronic control – bridging the ability for both sensitive interplay and wild shifts with broad sonic strokes.
The likeness to organisms of the instruments [Francke’s are self built modules] echo the transformations of their visual selves into non-human creatures through masks [Kosack’s constructs].
LIVE VIDEO.
NOU, AIXÒ
Annika Francke [HITA electronics]
Clara Lai [keyboards]
Joan Torné [electronics]
NOU, AIXÒ was founded in late 2024 out of Barcelona's experimental music scene by Annika Francke, Clara Lai and Joan Torné as a trio commited to powerful impulsive playfulness.
Together they fabricate a compelling blend of electronic improvisation and noise. Each member contributes a distinct musical background that converges into an electrifying collective sound, marked by spontaneity and exploration.
Moments of chaos are most likely to happen, as well as strong, static moments of intense moods. The three players have recorded an intimate album of 8 little improvisations in early 2025 which is soon going to be released on cassette.
BLIND OPERA
Mau Boada [guitars, electric bass, tape mashine]
Annika Francke [also saxophone, slide tube, chimes]
Slow, rich guitar chords with light, airy saxophonic noises and whispers, far from any tonality mixed with tape recordings and sounds of metallic objects evoke a sense of nostalgia. Haunting fragments of yearning melodies, improvised and unfinished, allow listeners to reflect on fleeting memories or lost moments.
blind opera is an experimental, rather unconventional duo of improvisation with a psychodelic note. Originating from very different musical universes, Mau & Annika met each other following an invitation by Víctor Nubla of the GTS team in Gràcia, Barcelona. Soon after playing a blind-date impro session in April 2018 blind opera started working on their EP "BOIL". After a lot of transitions, rebirths and remixing this album has been released in early 2025.
The mood can be dark and contemplative, also monotone and minimalistic, filled with a sense of majesty and depth.
BUTTLAR/FRANCKE
Johannes von Buttlar [drums, percussions]
Annika Francke [HITA electronics, bass clarinet]
Two friends who spend most part of their encounters either laughing or playing, or both at the time.
Electronic textures intertwine with deep, resonant rhythms, creating an immersive sonic experience that explores both expansive heights and captivating soundscapes.
When the bass clarinet is added, the duo transfers into a trio, seamlessli blending acoustic and synthetic, light-controlled instruments.
Buttlar and Francke met in Basel in 2011, where both of them studied their disciplines and have been in constant interchange since these days. Forming a little improvisation band, finally, enables the duo to also communicate and interact through sound.
In 2025 they released their recording FISCH.
TROMPETENFISCH is a live studio video.
T I E F T O N F R A K T I O N
George Ricci [bass clarinet, clarinet]
Annika Francke [bass clarinet]
The duo features George Ricci and Annika Francke, mainly on bass clarinets. They share a wild sense of humour - not only at playing but also composing tunes for their very little band. Two bass clarinets are the center pieces of this unique small pair of so called 'jazz musicians' while alto saxophone or clarinet are added occasionally.
Categorizing Tieftonfraktion into one musical style isn't an easy thing, yet their finesse in finding the right music for the right place in the right moment is being carried out flexibly with a well balanced choice of instrumentation and register for each song.
Since their launch in 2014 they have gained a solid band sound, having played 50+ concerts in and around Basel (CH), Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg and Barcelona.
With a minimum of instrumentation they easily create magnificent shiny sounds in simple songs as well as rough, grumpy noises in more simple songs.
Francke & Ricci prove to be magnificent players caring about constantly bringing to life their unique band sound. Their performance provides their listeners a fresh, unartificial and just therefore honest and direct experience.
Listen to THE DEEP END.
ECHO&..
ECHO&.. is an interdisciplinary trio collaboration designed to approach the protagonists’ individual disciplines from exciting and strange experimental angles [based between Berlin and Barcelona]
ECHO&.. offers a coherent, suite-style stage performance consisting of different parts that seamlessly merge into one another. The variation of the parts’ order represents the trio’s experimental nature and depends on the content of the different contributions. Their current proposition consists of a solo, a duo, and a trio.
TEASER.
Pauline Bachmann [performance, dance]
Annika Francke [HITA electronics]
Joe Smith [drums, performance]
tel QUEL
Annika Francke [alto saxophone]
Maleen Sutter [double bass]
telQUEL started playing jazz standards in French streets in 2014. Performing in duo format allows the couple to explore different musical concepts in a flexible yet informal way. Their repertoire is formed by own compositions as well as free improvised music - and every so often music by Paul Desmond.
A fine musical duo sharing the passion of playing simple, honest acoustic music with an ironic breeze.
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