Tuesday 27 September 2011

Behind the Scenes of the 'Dia Ti Maria,' Shoot



These, my friends are some of the stills from the 'Dia Ti Maria,' shoot yesterday. I had such a good time on set & such a GREAT team, I can't stress that enough. The 'Black Narcissus,' meets Laurie Anderson fantasy is well & truly alive.

May I just take this opportunity to thank, Matthew Hardern, Christian Landon, Maria Papadopolu, Peter Gomes, Beau Scott, Noriko Okaku & Gemma Drummond for all their sterling work yesterday.

I was definitely vibing a bit of Sister Wendy Beckett on set yesterday & what a tough gal she was. Watch her here defending Andres Serrano's, 'Piss Christ.'


It was also a delight to have artist & filmaker Peter Gomes on Camera yesterday. He showed me a film he directed in collaboration with the Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company. It was right up my strasse. Check it out here:


Phantasmaton [2002] from mutantfilm on Vimeo.

You can watch more of Peter Gomes' work at: http://www.vimeo.com/mutantfilm

NUNZITA!

Sunday 25 September 2011

Flirting with London Fashion Week

Whilst being in pre-production for the video of 'Dia Ti Maria,' I managed to escape to a couple of fashion presentations for my dear friends during Fashion Week.



It was great to see so many friends proudly exhibit their new collections for the upcoming SS2012 season. I was somewhat alarmed, but mostly thrilled, at the amount of free champagne swilling around on Silver platters. {I mean we are supposed to be in an Economic Meltdown!}  However, it gave Somerset House an air of new found decadence that was complimented with some really great weather. And it felt great swanning around!

The first presentation I attended, was of my good friend/long term collaborator Ada Zanditon. {I'm wearing a piece from 'The Cryoflux,' collection, above, next to Cherie Lily}
A fiercely original designer, Ada's ethical fashion is steeped in narratives that stem from a scientific view on the environment.

Her new collection "Poseisus"  was inspired by seahorses, Greek Goddesses & Haiti Kanaval.
Watch the film below directed by Andrew & William Ho, which has a truly urban & monochrome atmosphere with a bitching soundtrack by Sebastian Bartz


ADA Zanditon ss12 from Andrew & WIlliam Ho on Vimeo.

I was whisked away to St Luke's Church on Old St by Broken Hearts DJ Amber Jane,  to Jayne Pierson's catwalk show. {It was nice to be back, as I once performed with the London Symphony Orchestra at St Luke's!!}
Pierson collaborated with The Royal Ballet, choreographing dancers instead of models, on pointe throughout the entire show. It was breathtaking!



My final date with Fashion week, ended with Fred Butler's presentation at The Portico Rooms in Somerset House. Fred's made some incredible pieces specially made for my appearances including, for Tonight with Jonathan Ross & The Culture Show.



With a sound installation from my oldest friend, Patrick Wolf, Fred's presentation saw her work move into more formal clothing territory, without compromising her trademark geometric precision or orgy of colour that characterises her work so brilliantly.


Fred Butler S/S 12 from Susie Bubble on Vimeo.

Stay tuned for Production shots from my upcoming video shoot!

Saturday 10 September 2011

Behind the Artwork, Behind the Music

Dear Bishi World. Welcome to the virtual unveiling of my Single Artwork. I'd like to thank the amazing team for coming together & making this happen...!

Photo by Dominic Harris
http://www.dominicharris.co.uk

Projections by Noriko Okaku
http://www.norioka.net

Head Piece by Christian Landon:
http://www.christianlandon.com

Make up by Maria Papadopolou:
http://mariasmakeup.com

Nun's Cowell by Sybil Rouge

Art Direction by Matthew Hardern & Bishi

I thought I'd add a few more pictures that inspired me behind making this image:

This is a still from a film by Vittorio De Sica, called 'A Night like Any Other.' It was recently curated in an exhibition by Rankin called 'The Peroni Collection – Italian Style on the Silver Screen.' I love the entire sex & sophistication of the entire genre of 60s Italian Films.


 
This is a still from my most recent show, 'The Power of Projection,' with a projection made by Noriko Okaku. Projections have been an ongoing theme in my music performances this year with special outfits co-designed by myself. Noriko's been one of our key collaborators  & it's been great to have her wonderful visuals, a part of the of the Single Artwork.

Here is a bit of blurb, behind the music, of 'Dia Ti Maria':

Bishi’s new single.'Dia Ti Maria' is an 8.5 minute choral piece; a song of loss, fortitude and self-realization.

Inspired by the Greek Orthodox liturgy, the 1st and last sections are written in Koine (Biblical) Greek. The English lyrics are quotes from the speeches of Satan in Milton's Paradise lost.

Originally commissioned by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus the US debut grabbed the front page of the New York Times who announced Bishi as the 'New British Diva'.

Bishi sings all 50 voices on the recording…

'I chose to sing all the parts because, for me, the piece is about light and darkness within ones own mind and self'

Rich harmonic writing develops from the clusters of Bulgarian throat singing to the more open, pastoral harmonies of English folk. The atmosphere moves from despair to realization and resolve.

Vocal techniques suggestive of Ligeti and Meredith Monk can be heard in the occasional slides and ‘asides’ to give a sense of melodic fluidity to the musical landscape.

The live presentation is an immersive video performance with Bishi centre screen surrounded by projected images of herself. Halos and choirs, inspired by Byzantine icons, radiate around her while the costumes and stage design owe much to Lempika, Erte and the cinematic choreography of Busby Berkeley.


Can't wait to play it for you all!
Stay Tuned for more updates!
xx


Wednesday 7 September 2011

Voices in My Head - 1st DJ mix for Soundcloud



To Celebrate my forthcoming new single release, 'Dia Ti Maria,' on Gryphon Records I've created my 1st DJ mix for Soundcloud, called 'Voices in my Head,' reflecting some of the influences that inspired the record.

I've opened the mix with something from Alejandro Jodorowsky's, 'The Holy Mountain.' His imagery/philiosophy & music have had a huge impact on me having been introduced to is work by Ana Matronic of Scissor Sisters.


Meander your way through Philip Glass & Meredith Monk, The Cocteau Twins & Coco Rosie.

I even re-discovered my love for Bongwater after being shot on the same day as Ann Magnuson, at LA's 'Pop Tart Gallery,' for Austin Young's, 'Your Face Here.'
photo by Austin Young.

Hope you Enjoy!

Voices in My Head by Bishi_World
 

Monday 5 September 2011

On a Projection Tip - Ron Arad's, 'Curtain Call.'


This year, The Roundhouse hosted Ron Arad's, 'Curtain Call,' which was a spectacular 360 degree interactive installation

Made out of 5,600 silicone rods suspended from an 18 metre diameter ring, the curtain became an visually tantalising canvas for film & performance. Arad curated a programme of his favourite artists, who were basically a load of his mates,  especially for the event.

Over the last year the work I've been making/collaborating on has been about creating interactive environments with music & immersive projections so this was right up my strasse.


One of the things I love about projections is their timeless quality - there has a been  a well documented history of Projections within Performance, from Warhol & The Velvets, to Laurie Anderson & beyond. Somehow, projections never loose their power.



Visitors were encouraged to walk around & through the curtains. The middle of the space somewhat resembled a student sit in for the ipad generation, but in the most charming possible light. Pun intended.


My favourite piece by Christian Marclay, was even performed live by Steve Beresford.
Marclay didn't just utilise the visual space, but designed the sound for the 360 environment so the sound would correlate with the movement of the pianists hands.

As ever, it was great to see the worlds of Music/Art/technology collide with such stunning aplomb. I still think that more personality based work needs to be explored through this medium.
But it was a  glorious way to spend a couple of hours on a rainy August in Camden!




Sunday 4 September 2011

Gorillaz Korg i-Electribe - A New Moment for Pop?


Originally I didn't understand the point of an ipad, until my friend Rupert Russell convinced of it's multi-dimensional merits.

Aside from the synths & music apps, I was converted to the Ipad after browsing through some Spiderman comics at the airport. Who'd have thought?

The Gorillaz new album, The Fall,' was made mostly on an ipad. Apparently Damon Albarn was so enamoured with Korg i-electribe, Gorillaz went on to release their own customised version as an app.
The Gorillaz Korg i-electribe gives you plenty of original material to re-mix & re-model.



You can even bounce down your creations onto Soundcloud. Unfortunately their seem to be copyright issues for public usage, but maybe that's the next step in the revolution.

Perhaps, instead of library music, we'll get more copyright free apps for composers/musicians of every stripe to fuck around with & make their own original work. This could even create a totally new plunderphonics style revolution. It's only a thought.

Back to The Goriilaz -There's some great video tutorials about how to work the app & make music.



From the point of view of being a songwriter, it's just a total privilege to be able to pull apart Damon Albarn's songwriting, which I've been a fan of since the word go!

Whilst I was looking through all the videos, I noticed that someone had their own very unique approach to the app & had transformed the Gorillaz synth to sound more like an off shoot from the Venetian Snares. Check this monster out!




This is one of those videos that makes me believe in the power of technology. People just pick up software & transform it according to their own taste. It's almost punk. The words 'expression,' or 'beast' could be equally applied to this particular example.

Now I bet that would make 2D, Murdoc & Noodle happy wouldn't they?

Saturday 3 September 2011

Pulp at Brixton Academy

Pulp's recent gigs at the Brixton Academy proved absolutely glorious to hear the hits again. It was also touching to experience the crowd chant the lyrics in unison. Jarvis was irrepressible & threw even more impressive moves. A bit like the geography teacher at the school disco after a few sambucca's.

There was a fan letter read out on stage, a Mexican flag passed up to Jarvis & even an onstage spat between Cocker & Mark Webber which was, luckily, masked by some very bad front of house sound.



Pulp were one of the 1st bands I really fell in love with as a kid. 'Common People,' was the first 7" I bought, even though I had very little grasp over the song's political & defiant meaning.
I even discovered Performance Art legends, Minty, on a BBC documentary called 'No Sleep to Sheffield,' who were supporting Pulp on tour at the time.
I was later adopted by Minty & ran away to join the Avant Garde Circus….But that's another story altogether.

The song that had a renewed impact on me was 'Mis-Shapes,' which stormed the charts at No.1



The lyrics to 'Mis-shapes,' have been definitive of my life & to many of my friends. It's universal message transcends race, class, gender & sexuality in a unique way that I've yet to hear rival in another pop song.

I did feel a tear coming on during the lyrics, 'There won't be fighting in the streets, revenge is gonna be so sweet.'

Off course with the recent London riots in August 2011, there's been no escaping the fighting on the streets. The roots of the riots are complex but in the moment they seemed to be an act of blind rage, & hell bent on total destruction.
Instead of fighting for individuality & change, the looting seemed symbolic of a society that's gone mad to conform through consumer goods.

I mention all this because too many pop songs these days focus on brandishing labels & faux lifestyles, that a song like 'Mis-Shapes,' actively contradicts.

Since Pulp were in their hey-day, the worlds of music & communication have been totally revolutionised. Even the world of celebrity, which Pulp seemed to be a one time casualty of, has morphed into another more blood thirsty beast. The times have changed but the sincerity & beauty of Pulp's songs still remains intact. And very close to my heart.