Andrea Belfi: “A Cult Drama”

“really is glorious…” – Mary Anne Hobbs, BBC6 Music

 

To label Andrea Belfi’s status as a percussionist would be a modest descriptor. Described by BBC6 Music’s Gilles Peterson as “a cult drama”, over the course of his career Belfi has developed a unique, hypnotic style of drumming, working with the instrument across realms of electronic music to create an immersive, textured sound world.

Perhaps best known for his work with Nils Frahm’s nonkeen group, this Berlin-based Italian musician has held a variety of outfits with more than fifty collaborative records on labels such as Room40 and Miasma. Continuously proving himself to be a fascinating solo artist in his own right, May last year saw the release of his seventh studio album Ore on FLOAT Records, a striking mix of improvised drums and electronic programming intended by the artist to have the feel of a live performance.

 

 

“Change is very important, otherwise [the music] becomes institutionalised” – Andrea Belfi, Drowned in Sound

 

Having played the drums from the age of 14, Belfi’s experience as an artist has continuously grown from his diverse artistic involvement, from playing in numerous punk bands to being an art student in Milan. Moody, obscure, but in very structured, rhythmical journeys, Belfi commits to creating and constantly developing a unique sound, with the interweaving of percussive counterparts with electronica driving forward a sonic architecture with complex patterns, conveyed with the simplicity of an acoustic drum set. Recording drums over electronic patterns for Ore sets a hypnotic mood with transforms the instrument. He plays with the timeless art of variation and repetition, and his recordings deliver on transporting the listener into the mesmerising experience consistent of Belfi’s live performances.

 

For FLOAT’s Piano Day 2018 earlier this year, Andrea Belfi combined his signature methods of percussion and electronics to create a hugely special one of collaboration with pianist and composer Sebastian Plano. With minimum preparation time, these Piano Day collaborations are thrilling experiences for both the audience and performers alike.

 

 

Experience Andrea Belfi’s unequalled live performances at this year’s Supersonic Festival 2018. 

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

 

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