Pre Lockdown/Post Lockdown Considerations and Activities

Where shall we start? Let's rewind to early 2020. We knew something was brewing with this world. Some blamed our lack of respect and care for the world we live in. Some blamed meat markets. It was all too late anyway. The virus was there. It was active. It was lethal and unforgiving. Some took it seriously. Some didn't. I was then in two minds: was it scaremongering? Was it really that bad? Despite having a few cases in the UK, we played what we didn't know would be our last show in Brighton in March before lockdown happened. We were told we could fend this off with rigorous hand washing.

Picture by Sini Manner @ Cute Owl Festival in Brighton, march 2020

Playing in front of this new crowd was great. Huge thanks to Cute Owl Promotions for inviting us. I remember feeling sad because of the end of the great French Audiotrauma label. They were having their last festival party in Prague the same day. I had chosen to wear a t-shirt with the words "Everything starts with a trauma" as a mini personal tribute to their work.

It took a while for our leaders to implement lockdown. Little did I know that I would be considered as a keyworker and would carry on travelling to work to look after vulnerable and other keyworkers' children. And I became ill.

And yes, I caught the infamous virus. It wasn't pleasant at all. I've experienced the worst body aches ever (they felt like stinging stabbing), splitting headaches, sinuses as swollen as huge balloons, extreme exhaustion and that characteristic loss of sense of smell and taste. I was lucky not to have to go to the hospital, but at the same time it was extremely worrying not knowing what to expect. All in all, it took me five weeks to recuperate. I felt really rough. Believe me it is real! And please stay safe and wear a  mask if you can. ;)

And terms of music, we, musicians, venue owners, promoters and fans all felt lost. Some of us lost income. It was unimaginable to think that all night life could stop like this for so long. :(

I liked the support between people. I embraced watching online shows and djs from all over the world. I decided to compose more and to have a go at voice looping. I also took time to slow down and observed nature more (through my window essentially!) I've even had a go at making a playlist with some of the bands I like. Feel free to listen to it and tell me what you think. And last but not least, watch out for the 19th of September, a brand new track of mine called "Define Normal" will be released on the Katharsis fifth Compilation. The aim is to help them with funds towards organising their next diverse electronic music event in 2021.

Picture by Luis Rodrigues, instagram.com/luisrodriguesphoto

Selfie with my TC Helicon VoiceLive Touch 2 looper and my fan, august 2020

Finally, here are some of my favourite online shows I've followed and highly recommend featuring Aphexia, Brigitte Handley and Maud The Moth at Chaos Theory, Matt Howden aka Mighty looper extraordinaire during his brilliant Lockdown Sieben series at home and a fab display of electronic musicians from Kyiv broadcast by my favorite London experimental sonic art lab Iklectik. Let the music play! ;)