Experimental Music from Etudes Study Group

Forged in London’s experimental performance scene, Etudes Study Group is a pioneering trio bringing together voice, electronic bass and live art in a way that’s spontaneous and truly original. Featuring the talents of vocalist and performer Jo Morrison, vocalist and performer Ningrui Liu and electronic bassist Felix X Tigersonic, the group builds their immersive sonic worlds through structured improvisation, drawing from a unique set of creative cues known as Etudes, a deck of performance instruction cards devised by artist Sharon Gal.

Etudes Study Group’s musical approach is formed by presence and real-time creation where each performance is a live response to the prompts pulled from Sharon’s cards, leading to shifting combinations of voice, sound, movement and silence. There’s no fixed script, only a shared framework that guides the trio through moments of spontaneity and deep listening. They present an experience that blurs the line between music and performance art, with the trio crafting ephemeral soundscapes that feel as much like rituals as concerts.

It’s a methodology that’s stitched with uncertainty, inviting the audience into an unfolding space where sound is discovered by performers and listeners alike. Jo Morrison and Ningrui Liu’s voices often stretch beyond conventional singing, drawing on breath, texture and vocal experimentation to shape emotion and presence. Felix X Tigersonic provides a grounding counterpoint with deep electronic bass tones, laying the base for sound to rise, warp and dissolve around it.

After cutting their teeth through live work, Etudes Study Group now step into the recorded sphere with their first official release; a trio of pieces that serve as both documentation and extension of their live practice. Titled “Get Some Ears,” “Beginning” and “Slow Without Losing the Flow,” the tracks maintain the group’s improvisational ethos while offering a more distilled encounter with their sound.

First, “Get Some Ears” presents an expansive thirteen-minute voyage that starts with lively ululations to the applause of the audience as the strike of drum and slide of bass notes joins before the piece slips into an atmospheric downtempo soundscape. With the patter of percussion, deep bass textures and layers of dissonant vocalisations, the song flows through a shifting musical landscape, bending from gentle melodic passages, spoken-word sections and intense moments, delivering a listening experience unlike anything else.

“Beginning” follows with a brief outing of playful brass tones, quickly giving way to dancing vocal flutters and twanging bass pulses. With the sparse rattle of percussion and claps adding a subtly hypnotic rhythm, the piece casts a vivid showcase of Etudes Study Group’s truly unique musical offering.

With “Slow Without Losing the Flow,” the jump straight in to a soundscape of jumping vocal tones and dusty bass tones, switching energies and moods to craft a transportive performance that glides with the pulse of effects and dramatic work elements. Landing like a theatrical journey in sonic form, it’s another epic display of the group’s innovative artistic endeavours.

Together, these pieces present a compelling entry point into Etudes Study Group’s world that favours open-ended exploration over resolution. It’s a fascinating exploration of bringing artistic ideas to life in the moment and chosen without method, resulting in a worthwhile and groundbreaking creative statement.

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