Opening concert
The first edition of Atlas Electronic Music & Arts kicks off with an opening concert by a crossover collaboration that embodies exactly what our festival is all about. An exploration of global influences on electronic music, finding a common thread between different world music traditions. We are proud to announce James Holden & Maalem Houssam Guinia for our opening night.
No better way to cross introduce two musical worlds. This opening concert is held in the Amphitheatre of Villa Jenna, surrounded by the palmery and in an intimate setting. Only 600 tickets are available to those who join Atlas Electronic early.
During this show, producer James Holden presents the results of his time spent in Morocco working with Gnawa musician Maalem Mahmoud Guinia, drawing links between the meditative drones of North African musical traditions and Western ambient music. Performing with Guinia’s son Maalem Houssam Guinia in memory of him, together they create a sound which is hypnotically lyrical and syncopated with percussion and light synth sounds.
Besides Maalem Mahmoud Guinia and James Holden we’re happy to introduce Jugurtha & BeatuniQue (FR, NL). Born in december 2011 after a show at the New-Morning Jazz Club in Paris, Duo JUGURTHA is a project to enshroud mid-to-late twentieth century Oriental legends & berberian music with silky smooth modern electronic music. The highly talented pair doesn’t settle for classic remixes, and goes as far as to create a wide new musical landscape grasping together traditional instruments, voices, old recordings, and contemporary techniques…
Pushing their artistic thirst ever further, they’ve put together a LIVE show accompanied by well-established musicians, with the will to give greater depth to their upcoming first electronic music album Orientation (at Because Music) on stage, with instruments such as drums, guitar, santur, darbouka, ravanhatta, ney, & more
BeatuniQue is a freestyle percussionist, hang player and music connoisseur from / based in Amsterdam. His focus goes out toi mprovisation inside and around various genres of (electronic) music. Collaborating with unique musicians, dj’s and producers, both live and in the studio.