Bleep

After Revep comes Utp_ in Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s V.I.R.U.S. series. Commissioned for the city of Mannheim’s 400th anniversary, Utp_ is a live multimedia performance with Ensemble Modern adding new dimensions to the duo’s sparse electronica. Inspired by the city’s structure, the performance slowly comes to life on ‘Attack/Transition’, a literal attack on the senses as sudden rains of strings slash through the air in visceral waves. The heart of Utp_ lies in its repeating movements, evolving from flurries of colliding atoms, to quivering strings and percussion, to drawn out notes painting vast landscapes.