- There were probably only 50 people at the latest edition of Livesoundtracks, but there's little question that everyone inside Barcelona's Hiroshima Theater on Tuesday night witnessed something powerful. The Livesoundtracks concept is simple enough, enlisting electronic musicians, usually of the experimental kind, to accompany films with live, spontaneous compositions. Past guests have included Samuel Kerridge and Deena Abdelwahed, and this most recent event featured the inspired pairing of Morphine Records boss Rabih Beaini with Parisian filmmaker Vincent Moon. Although Moon is perhaps best known for the much-loved Take Away Shows series, in recent years he's been traveling the globe filming performances of sacred music and traditional folklore in places like Ethiopia, Peru, Indonesia and Vietnam.
It's this work that made up Tuesday night's stunning visual component. Spanning just over an hour, the footage toured through jungles, deserts and remote temples while documenting a series of rituals, from funeral processions to group prayer events. The bulk of the scenes were shot in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia, so part of the allure stemmed from how exotic, bizarre and downright alien many of the ceremonies felt to traditional Western eyes. But the films were also beautifully shot and intensely intimate. Filled with bright colors and protracted close-ups, it was easy to fall into the same sort of trance-like state that was often being depicted on-screen.
For his part, Beaini also did a fantastic job. There was an underlying tension from the very first note, as jagged blasts of noise heightened Moon's imagery. Even the film's more serene moments were accompanied by the ominous hum of static and distortion. Beaini expertly blended the film's recorded sounds, which included heavy doses of chanting and ceremonial drumming, with his own electronic compositions, crafting something that was nearly impossible to separate from the film itself. The tribal drums and visual focus on the occult reminded me of Demdike Stare's live show, but the combination of Beaini and Moon offered something less explicitly Western, making the experience all the more extraordinary. I only hope that Beaini and Moon find a way to collaborate again in the future.