The Ukrainian musician Jurij Nikelsky, skilled in an impressive range of ethnic wind instruments, joins forces with the contemplative yet intense ambient layers of Jan Kašpar, performing under the pseudonym Obelisk of Light. Creative curiosity and reflective electronic textures merge in collaboration with violinist and koto player Anna Romanovská, known for her passion for improvisation, and Russian sound artist Rlung. The sacred drones and soaring vocals of Slovak artist Adriána Vančová, aka timmi, intertwine with the lyrical tones of the oud, played by Jordanian-Palestinian multi-talented artist and musician Husam Abed.
🌐 timmi is a music producer (by her own name Adriána Vančová) is a Slovak artist who performs solo as well as in a variety of collaborations. She uses her soaring, sacrally inspired vocals to create gentle layers cradled within landscapes of synths drawing the listener into a darkened world of contemplation and timid hope. Her debut album Theosis (2023) was released on the label Stoned to Death as well as her own label, Řehole. Timmi also organizes the open air festival Řehole pod širákem, which combines music, performance, installations and workshops in a quarry near the Mšeno spa town.
🌐 Husam Abed is a theater director, puppeteer, producer and musician. He is currently a doctoral candidate at Bath School of Music and Performing Arts in Great Britain and holds a masters in directing for alternative and puppet theater from DAMU. As a musician Husam is an oud player, composer, percussionist and vocalist and has collaborated with a variety of international projects. His most recent project is Xadrez with Cyril Kaplan. He is also a curator for IDEA festival in Amman, Jordan and a co-founder of the LIV’in festival in Prague.
🌐 Jurij Nikelský is an Ukrainian musician who has been living in Prague since 1997. He is a collector of ethnic, primarily woodwind, instruments and has amassed an impressive variety of the unique, rare and unusual from all around the world. He is an avid improviser, often attending open improvisation sessions around Prague. Jurij currently dedicates his time and attention to fusions of ethnic music with elements of free jazz.
🌐 Anna Romanovská is a conservatory trained violinist who completed her studies at Charles University’s Pedagogical Faculty in teaching violin and music training. Since 2000 she has been a member of Orchestra Berg. Thanks to the screenplay of Schwarz auf Weiss from German author Heiner Goebbels which Orchestra Berg presented at Strunách Podzim in 2009, Anna began learning how to play on the koto, a Japanese string instrument.
🌐 Obelisk of Light is the ambient project of Jan Kašpar, who experiments with abstract soundscapes and explosive sound design. Since the project’s beginning, Obelisk of Light has strayed from a more serene, hypnotic sound to one of at times unsettling intensity and distortion. In his compositions he makes use of the sound of a digitally reworked guitar and the synthesis of traditional instruments and their digital deconstruction. Jan Kašpar also performs as part of Raw Deal and Sítě.
🌐 Rlung (by her own name Iana Koroleva) is a producer from Asbest in Russia. Her work comes out of minimalism and ambient subgenres that’s unafraid of incorporating elements of noise, massive bass and beats to create a unique post club sound backed by atmospheric layers. Her 2019 album nontemporary was released on Czech label Secret Press and features field recordings from South Taiwan amid a smooth cacophony of synths, tumultuous beats and tenderly dark voices.