Powell

Via his own Diagonal Records imprint, his work on XL Recordings and, most recently, the opening of audio/film platform A Folder [afolder.studio], Powell has firm footing in the contemporary electronic landscape. During a wry and obstinate musical life he has twisted myriad synthetic forms into shapes that explore and expand upon the districts of post-punk, techno, noise + computer music, and most recently he has released four albums of hi-def abstractions, each inspired by a formalisation of music proposed by Iannis Xenakis. In 2021 Powell’s strangely emotive new LP of synthetic computer works entitled ‘Piano Music 1-7′ was released on Editions Mego and continuing his expansion into electro-acoustic instrumentation, was invited to compose for and perform with London Contemporary Orchestra for their 24 event at the Barbican in 2022, the recording of which has now been released as ’26 Lives’ on Diagonal. ’26 Lives’ is not an album of electronics and orchestra, but one where the fusion of soundworlds is complete, with no clear demarcations between the two, and where it’s unclear whether sounds are produced acoustically or digitally, creating a living dance between synthetic and real-world instrumentation.