beautiful work, looking forward to more!!

Circle Of Live is a brand new, live acts only, event series concept and a record label curated by Sebastian Mullaert, honouring the values of spontaneity and improvisation.

Website: www.circleof.live
Bandcamp: www.circleoflive.bandcamp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/circleof.live.ofc
Instagram: www.instagram.com/circleof.live/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Circleof_live

12"/Stream/Download

Circle Of Live Recordings

Was it all a dream? Did Sebastian Mullaert and Johanna Knutson perform an all night long sleep concert inside a medieval church in Amsterdam? What? This is an 8 hour long album release? Well... YES! You aren’t dreaming... or shall we say, just not yet. Keep reading. 

Live At De Waalse Kerk 2019 is a recording from our sleep concert series Circle Of Live “In Dreams”, where all-night, improvised, live ambient performances explore the full range of mind states occurring between sleep and consciousness; a shared collective experience, a night of mutual dreaming. 

Taking place in the spectacular 15th century architectural marvel that is De Waalse Kerk church, Johanna Knutsson and Sebastian Mullaert guided the audience through their dreams for 8 hours during regular sleeping times. By means of live improvisation, Johanna and Sebastian used the misty borderland between sleep and consciousness to their advantage, through expansive ambient soundscapes. 

Can dreams be gently manipulated by a musical excursion through the unconscious landscape within? Can dreams be experienced collectively through a controlled collective experience? Will you float in a state of mind wondering whilst awake or enter a full on lucid dream? Or will you simply sleep like a baby? 

We invite you to find your own answers, weave a dream alone or share the experience together with a friend… perhaps organise your very own pillow rave. 

Sweet Dreams! 
Circle Of Live

Johanna Knutsson & Sebastian Mullaert - Live At De Waalse Kerk 2019 (excerpt)

Laurence Guy, Sebastian Mullaert & Subchamber Ensmble - Live At Malmö Live 2019
Release date 16/04/2021
Digital & Streaming
COL005

The first of the Circle Of Live​ “In Concert”​ event series brings together five artists from the modern classical​ and ​electronic​ scene for a night of freeform improvisation, inside the crown jewel of South Sweden - the spectacular ​Malmö Live​ concert house.

P​roject founder Sebastian Mullaert​ performs alongside the rising star of UK leftfield house Laurence Gu​y​. Following a string of highly acclaimed releases on labels like ​Studio Barnhus, Ninja Tune ​and​ Shall Not Fade​, Laurence makes his highly anticipated debut in the project. His signature soulful touch blends effortlessly with Sebastian’s warm sonic landscapes and the rich orchestral layers of​ ​Subchamber Ensmble​. Under the creative direction of New York film composer​ Nathan Larson​, Subchamber Ensemble featured himself, performing on electric guitar and effect pedals, alongside​ Gerda Holmquist​ on cello, as well as ​Elina Nygren​ on viola - both members of the critically acclaimed ​Vindla String Quartet​.

Across the five live excerpts, the artists masterfully weave the contrasting worlds of techno, ambient, and classical music into a mesmerizing stew of surprising consistency. The music is contemplative and hypnotic, quiet passages of calm giving way to vivid bursts of energy and colour.

Laurence Guy, Sebastian Mullaert & Subchamber Ensmble - A Live @ Malmö Live

Field Records is to release a two-CD compilation of music from the label's artists old and new entitled simply, Collection.

The first of three samplers features Acronym, Ben Buitendijk and Voiski. Acronym's track '16 Cygni' is a sci-fi bit of techno that is speedy, slick and intergalactic, whilst Ben Buitendijk offers up some Millsian, streamlined techno urgency with his 'Colourblind' and finally Voiski gets all elastic and industrial tinged with his whip lashing effort.

Colourblind

Bandcamp

Ben Buitendijk - Colourblind

Zen polymath Sebastien Mullaert’s project Circle of Live marshals a raft of diverse global talents for ‘free-flowing collaborative jam sessions in clubs around the world’. This time round it brought together the Swedish musician himself, plus Spazio Disponibile gaffer Neel and the moody soundscapes of German techno-pundit VRIL as part of their ongoing collaboration. What’s clear for anyone following these three trajectories: the trio couldn’t be more perfectly aligned, their occult compositions are bound by a set of influences that border on the metaphysical. The music itself: meditative, deep, ruminant and transformative. Textured layer upon layer, these preternatural melodies and jerking beats are sublime astral audio from another dimension: Bassiani Podcast 170 is a freeform and mind-expanding journey through uncharted waters recorded live at the club back in December.

@circleoflive

Bassiani invites Circle Of Live (Sebastian Mullaert / Neel / Vril)/ Podcast #170

bandcamp

what

B & E

Artist: Various Artists
Title: Nachti XX
Label: Nachtdigital
Catalogue No.: ND20
Release Date: August 4, 2017
Format: 2x 12inch Vinyl

Tracklist:
A - Giegling (25:36)
B - KLM (14:04)
C1 - Pandt (09:57)
C2 - Cologne Tape (04:44)
D - Nachti (24:00)

https://nachtdigital.de

Nachti XX

buy this vinyl here

Nachti XX (Preview) - A - Giegling

Master: Cédric Beaude
Photo: Ludovic Tenorio-Hallé

Bacterial Stigmergy

Taken from 'Live at Freerotation 2018,' Circle of Live's second EP featuring Dorisburg, Johanna Knutsson, Mathew Jonson, Steevio, and Sebastian Mullaert. 

Info: https://www.xlr8r.com/news/premiere-hear-a-mathew-jonson-and-steevio-live-jam-from-the-upcoming-circle-of-live-ep

COL002

Info

Premiere:  Circle of Live - Live at Freerotation 2018(Mathew Jonson, Steevio)

Holland’s Conforce rounds things off with plump low end throbs and sparse synth pulses reminiscent of Basic Channel, with gently shuffling hi-hats underpinning the murky yet warm textures and broad, heavily reverbed swathes of chord drama.

Eduardo De La Calle - Distortion Theory III (Conforce Remix)

Available for streaming in full and to download here: http://hyperurl.co/niqwuj
Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/dg-o3R5ojMM

Circle Of Live 003 presents a fully improvised 1 hour long jam between Neel, Sebastian Mullaert & Vril, recorded live in one take at Aérodrome Melun-Villaroche for ARTE Passengers video series, available to watch in full via Youtube.

June 27th 2019. An intolerably hot, midsummer day in the outskirts of Paris. The sun clenches the wheat fields around us in a deadly grip. Even the wind is afraid to move under the weight of the heat spell descending from the skies. The air feels so dense and sticky you could cut it in two with a knife.

Three sonic pilots: Neel, Sebastian Mullaert and Vril have just touched down in Aérodrome Melun-Villaroche…. 6000 square meters of aviation history in a hangar thick with the smell of machine oil, dust and the echoes of ghosts from times long forgotten. The site principal just shouted at us not to plug anything in the power sockets because the network in the building runs on double the usual voltage. Smoke machines are slowly filling the enormous space and the afternoon light, seeping through the windows, is cutting gigantic orange shapes though the room. The air is vibrating with a perfectly balanced mixture of tension and excitement. Half a ton of machines, all wired in the midst of it all, are ready to burst into an hour long fully improvised musical expression. This unsung mechanical symphony will become alive and take form in front of everybody for the very first time, as we have no plan or any clue where the flow of the music will take us all. And by all we mean potentially anybody, as we are broadcasting live on the internet, as imagined though the creative eye of ARTE maestro Sebastian Lefebvre and the seven camera operators waiting in position between the rusty aircraft.

Both humans and machines are overheating and driven to their very edge of existence. Vril’s 909 just collapsed from the heat… droplets of sweat are running through Sebastian’s forehead… Neel is gulping down one last sip of water before the film clapper drops down and the director’s voice reverberates GO through the room. What could possibly go wrong?

Live At Aérodrome Melun-Villaroche 2019

Stream & Download

Circle Of Live feat. Neel, Sebastian Mullaert, Vril - Live At Aérodrome Melun-Villaroche 2019

Taken from the 15th edition of XLR8R+, curated by Circle of Live and featuring cuts from Sebastian Mullaert, Mathew Jonson, Amp Fiddler, and Vril.

Get the package: http://bit.ly/XLR8Rplus_015

https://www.circleof.live

@mathew-jonson

Get the Package

XLR8R+015: Mathew Jonson - When I Think About Detroit Snippet)

Live from Movement Detroit 2019. 

Download: http://bit.ly/XLR8Rpodcast_CircleOfLive

@circleoflive
@ampfiddler
@mathew-jonson
@sebastianmullaert
@vril_01

Download

XLR8R Podcast 613: Circle Of Live (Amp Fiddler, Mathew Jonson, Sebastian Mullaert, and Vril)

The American cable-television industry exploded in the 1980s, pushing broadcasts of diverse programming and emissions of low-laying cultures into homes. Community stations piggybacked on the digital developments of the time, extending their existence through telephony and broadcast affiliates. For those growing up in this time, in locations such as New York City, the localized communications beamed into their homes exposed them to an impressionable array of disparate sounds and visions. Move into the 1990s and New York was filled to the brim of emergent cultures drawing from this ebullition of communication. From Rammellzee’s shapeshifting to Frank and Karen Mendez’s Nu Groove imprint fusing reggae, poetry and house, nascent ideas emanated from the city walls, from within stores such as Sonic Groove store and on VHS releases such as Stakker’s The Evil Acid Baron Show, a legendary technicolor psychedelic trip along the wildest frontiers of acid house. As scenes expanded and identities developed, such individuals weather the events of the visceral now, expressing themselves right into an unpredictable future.

Function’s long career has seen him uncover a vast range of sonic identities, a mainstay through house, techno and industrial with collaborations with the likes of Regis, Damon Wild alongside his highly influential Infrastructure imprint. With influences deeply tied to pop art, rave and gay scenes, and early memories of block-parties emitting Kraftwerk and Strafe, he found himself seeking out the undercover illegal nights of the 90s on a quest of sexual unearthing, mixing the ever-yearning escapology mission of disco with the influential DJ sets of Jeff Mills. For his new album Existenz, he marks a clear step away from the corporeal techno of his recent releases. Pivoting around themes of religion, sexuality, trauma and healing, it is a work expansive and celebratory, a clear liberation from a deeply internalized past. Formed from a collection of recordings made in a period from late 2016 to mid 2019, Existenz takes the form of a creative outburst in reaction to a number of traumas - recent, childhood and throughout Function’s life.

Cosmic synths soar and swoop in ‘Pleasure Discipline’ through towering stacks of rhythm that stutter and creak to a halt before rebooting, a firm robotic response to human intervention. ‘Zahlensender’ reflects a spatial tetris of urban life, as digitalization set within an XYZ matrix confronts the sprawling city. Constant arpeggiated meditations echo synaptic transmissions, effecting a dissolution of boundaries. ’The Approach’ recalls the unification of the self, a state of delirium non-subjective and smooth, as all connections and functions give way to simple intensities of feeling, crossing the threshold into spirituality. ’Golden Dawn’, featuring Stefanie Parnow, marks a further elevation of dubbed-out euphoria, as once more positive rays emerge. Parnow assisted the production process in its entirety, providing inspiration and featuring vocal contributions. His ode to the effortless short-trip urban navigation 'Kurzstrecke' finds Function in motion, upfront and bold, snapshots of conversation and flickers of light. 'Ertrinken' finds metallic bass jabs swamping snipped synthetic voices, with hidden stores of emotion set as a nod to the history of vocoders as a tool for encrypted military communication. House icon Robert Owens features on 'Growth Cycle' and 'Be', entrenching a celebratory atmosphere over Function's clubwise leanings. Closing track 'Downtown 161' reflects the unmistakeable filtered and squashed interjections of television, and sampled dance vocals - a sound for the curious, dreamers and dancers.

With Existenz, Function reveals an essential body of work, spread over 4LP/2CD - thought experiments on the role of identity and spirituality after a lifetime of upheaval and trauma.

Existenz

Buy on Tresor Store

Premiere: Function - Sagittarius A (Right Ascension)

Accelerating music & culture for twenty-five years.

Please note: We do not accept music for review sent via our SoundCloud account.

Bookings:
alma@lb-agency.net
ralf@vdhaardt.com (Classical Ensemble Requests)

Management: niko@starling.works

Music and more:  https://linktr.ee/sebastianmullaert

When you listen to Sebastian Mullaert’s music you will feel something enchanting, a resonance that delivers truth, integrity and reminds us to simply be. The Swedish artist has a distinct approach to life, as well as music, which is centred around tranquillity, stillness and the convergence of Zen meditation, nature and creativity. Known for his work as one half of Minilogue, Sebastian is also an accomplished solo artist with new material ready to roll. As an artist that is constantly evolving he has taken a bold new direction in his sonic exploration, immersing himself in the neo-classical scene and joining forces with one of the top 10 philharmonic orchestras in the world - Tonhalle Zürich. Working with great care and innovation he has created a truly immersive audio-visual performance experience, combining a mesmerising integration of electronic and classical instrumentation, with a visual art installation based on breath taking nature landscapes shot from a helicopter perspective. With such an innovative approach he aims to bridge the gap between classical and electronic music and introduce a whole new generation to the neo-classical concept. 

Sebastian's deep connection with music can be traced back to his formative years; from playing the organ and violin as a child, to performing in orchestras, string quartets and pop band, progressing into electronic music in his late teens. Discovering house and techno in the mid-nineties was the catalyst behind a revolution in his life, he set out on a new musical pathway, to promote the simplicity of being. Throughout the late nineties he experimented with electronic sounds, forming cult duo Minilogue with a friend and releasing with Crosstown Rebels, Traum Schallplatten, Wagon Repair and more, plus two albums via Cocoon – ‘Animals’ (2008) and ‘Blomma’ (2013). In 2014, the duo decided to take a break and invest their time in solo projects and Sebastian has since been hard at work cultivating a collection of new music already snapped up by hugely influential labels such as R&S sub-label Apollo, Drumcode, Hypercolour and Minus.

Sebastian Mullaert’s live performances are awe-inspiring, combining technical wizardry with energy, atmosphere and euphoria, you only have to watch his “Interpretations” performance for XLR8R or Boiler Room appearance for examples of his prowess. Recognition of his aptitude has led him to perform at institutions and festivals such as Panorama Bar - Berlin, Labyrinth Festival - Japan, Fabric - London, Concrete - Paris, The Block - Tel Aviv and Blackmarket - NYC. 

Sebastian’s collaborative work runs parallel to his solo endeavours and he has teamed up with several figures in the techno world to produce some unforgettable releases. Collaborators include Mathew Jonson, Eitan Reiter, Aril Brikha and Ulf Eriksson, and releases have come via underground platforms such as Hypnus, Mule Musiq and Kontra Musik. He also produces under the alias Wa Wu We, offering a serene, understated take on the techno aesthetic. Furthermore he is involved in the new Be Yokai project, a trio formed of Sebastian, Douglas Holmquist and Kristoffer Ström. The three men formed a natural alliance, finding their flow after several sessions together. Their first EP is signed to Hypercolour sub-label Space Hardware, with a live show and more music in the pipeline.

Sebastian Mullaert is already established as a potent force in the world of electronic music. Serious about reminding people to BE on the dance floor, or in the comfort of their own home, the music he makes is deep, progressive and utterly unique. Whatever the future holds, you can be sure he will continue to channel the infinite energy that surrounds us into every facet of his life.

Premiere: Circle of Live - Live at Freerotation 2018(Mathew Jonson, Steevio)

XLR8R

Recent comments

Fast Flow

juSt b

Alex Cle

Nick B

Related tracks