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Cruel Optimism USA 2017

LAWRENCE ENGLISH USA OPTIMISM 2017
MAR 25 BROOKLYN, NY @ KNOCKDOWN CENTER
MAR 26 BROOKLYN, NY @ KNOCKDOWN CENTER PRESENTING THE RADICAL LISTENER MASTERCLASS
MAR 28 CHICAGO, IL @ THE EMPTY BOTTLE
MAR 29 SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ THE LAB
MAR 31 LOS ANGELES, CA @ ZEBULON
APRIL 5 IOWA CITY, IA MISSION CREEK FESTIVAL
APRIL 7 LOS ANGELES, CA @VOLUME PRESENTING THE RADICAL LISTENER MASTERCLASS
Cruel Optimism In Conversation

Myself and long term colleague Seb Chan decided it was a good time to talk Cruel Optimism. The result is this long read.
HEXA – FACTORY PHOTOS UK/EU 2017

HEXA FACTORY PHOTOGRAPHS EU/UK 2017
DATE: Tuesday 14th February 2017
LOCATION: Firenze (IT)
VENUE: Teatro Della Compagnia
EVENT LINK: https://www.facebook.com/events/356579331386300/
https://www.boxol.it/cinemalacompagnia/it/event/hexa-perfoms-david-lynchs/193816
DATE: Wednesday 15th February 2017
LOCATION: London
VENUE: The Forge
EVENT LINK: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/383554
DATE: Thursday 16th February 2017
LOCATION: Bristol
VENUE: The Lantern
EVENT LINK: http://www.colstonhall.org/shows/hexa/
DATE: Friday 17th February 2017
LOCATION: Leeds
VENUE: Howard Assembly Room
EVENT LINK: https://www.operanorth.co.uk/productions/hexa-david-lynch-s-the-factory-photographs
DATE: Saturday 18th February 2017
LOCATION: The Hague
EVENT: Rewire x Korzo
VENUE: Korzo
EVENT LINK: http://www.korzo.nl/nl/producties/rewire-x-korzo-5
DATE: Sunday 19th February 2017
LOCATION: Glasgow
EVENT: Glasgow Film Festival
VENUE: The Glue Factory
EVENT LINK: http://glasgowfilm.org/glasgow-film-festival
DATE: Wednesday 22nd February 2017
LOCATION: Leipzig
VENUE: IFZ
EVENT LINKS: http://ifz.me/
DATE: Thursday 23rd February 2017
LOCATION: Gent
VENUE: Vooruit
EVENT LINK: https://vooruit.be/nl/show/detail/11833/HEXA_with_David_Lynch’s_’Factory_Photographs’_Miaux
LPE INITIAL OPTIMISM 2017

FEB 13 MILANO, IT @ SAN FEDELE
FEB 18 THE HAGUE, NL @ REWIRE X KORZO
MAR 26 BROOKLYN, NY @ THE MISSION
MAR 28 CHICAGO, IL @ THE EMPTY BOTTLE
MAR 29 SAN FRANCISCO, CA @ THE LAB
MAR 31 LOS ANGELES, CA @ ZEBULON
APRIL 5 IOWA CITY, IA MISSION CREEK FESTIVAL
More to come…
Negative Drone
Lawrence English – Negative Drone from ROOM40 on Vimeo.
Cruel Optimism: Heinz Riegler

Heinz Riegler and I have known one another for the better part of two decades. In the early 00s, I formed I/O3 with him and keyboardist Tam Patten and recorded a number of very early editions for Room40. Heinz also played on several of my early solo records. Having relocated to his homeland of Austria, we haven’t had some many opportunities to collaborate in recent years. Early this year Heinz returned to Australia and over one afternoon we recorded some overdubs that greatly shaped two of the pieces on Cruel Optimism. A few weeks later Heinz recorded some more sections for Object Of Projection, which were the closing passages for that piece. He is an incredible force and I count myself as very fortunate to have had benefitted from his contributions to this album. (Photo by Bryan Spencer)
HEXA Factory Tour Mixtape
Cruel Optimism: Chris Abrahams

My admiration for Chris Abrahams knows few bounds. You might know him as one third of the necks, or through his incredible solo work Room40 has had the pleasure to be part of making public. I was fortunate enough to have Chris perform on Cruel Optimism. He managed to transcend any and all of the esoteric notes I sent him about how I imagined harmony in the record. These hands are transformative.
TOP! 2016
Here’s 25 slabs of music that reached my soul and brought it joy in 2016!
Jenny Hval – Blood Witch (Sacred Bones)
Andy Stott – Too Many Voices (Modern Love)
Gas – Gas Box (Kompakt)
Gonçalo F Cardoso & Ruben Pater – A Study into 21st Century Drone Acoustics (Discrepant)
Chris Abrahams – Climb (Vegetable)
Thor And Friends – Self Titled (Living Music)
Olivia Block – Dissolution (Glistening Examples)
Sarah Davachi – Vergers (Important)
Swans – The Glowing Man (Young God)
Bwana – Capsule’s Pride (No Label)
Loscil – Monument Builders (Kranky)
Matmos – Ultimate Care II (Thrill Jockey)
Puce Mary – the Spiral (Posh Isolation)
Klara lewis – Too (eMego)
Equiknoxx – Bird_Sound_Power (DDS)
Burial – Young Death/Nightmarket (Hyperdub)
Will Long/DJ Sprinkles – Long Trax (Comatose)
Graham Lambkin – Community (Erst-Solo)
Andrew Pekler – Tristes Tropiques (faitiche)
David Grubbs – Primrose (Drag City)
Tim Hecker – Love Streams (4AD)
Oren Ambarchi – Hubris (eMego)
Jim O Rourke & Fennesz – It’s Hard For Me To Say I’m Sorry (eMego)
75 Dollar Bill – Wood / Metal / Plastic / Pattern / Rhythm / Rock (Other Music Recording Co.)
David Bowie – Blackstar (ISO)