Somewhere in the shadowy forest between ambient and techno sounds, you’ll find the inventive world of Warsaw’s Milena Kriegs. It’s the sort of music you can get lost in, but it manages to be teeming with life rather than bleakly gloomy. And I think there’s a strong analog between Milena’s live PA sets and her recorded music – somehow, she’s working out a sense of free flow in each, a feeling that you can float along with the music.
Live PA sets can turn into press-play playlists on one hand or hyperactive twitch-fests on the other. So, I think it’s worth watching this latest video of Milena playing because the live element is simultaneously economical and necessary. She is actually creating some shape and flow; there’s a reason for her to play this live.
Last month in Barka, Kraków, ArsTechne added to their very fine series of live stuff.
For more live evidence, here’s her set from Tresor’s New Faces series in Berlin. (Recorded in April; photo above courtesy the artist.)
And still another from the Container Podcast (downloadable, this one):
And these really work in person – that place where you can dance and dream at the same time. But they’re also good fun here on a weekday in headphones.
Don’t miss her release from June, either. It’s restrained but inviting, gorgeous stuff.
Also, this publicity photo is perfect. (No, there’s nothing wrong with your screen. It’s like… how more black could it be? I’m missing the photo credit to add, so I hope I’m not infringing on copyright here.)
https://www.facebook.com/MilenaKriegs/