Struma+Iodine x EXILES: Saint Abdullah & Eomac | Rojin Sharafi | TELEϟPORT x ABDX

SAINT ABDULLAH & EOMAC

“As a collective, we exist to test the revolutionary possibilities within sound and sonic storytelling. As a means to finding a vision of the future and for building cultural dialogue today.”

Formed by two brothers, Mohammad and Mehdi Mehrabani-Yeganeh, raised primarily in the West, away from their family Iran, Saint Abdullah is designed somewhat as an introduction to a different palette of sounds, creating a charged and anxious, but still assertive mixture of minimalist dub and Iranian samples. Their sound is characterized by a keen interest to challenge cultural perceptions and expectations of diasporic narratives, by foregrounding sounds, field recordings, and sacred and profane music from the multiple worlds they belong to.

Eomac is Ian McDonnell, Irish producer and DJ, is half of the duo Lakker. He has released music on labels such as Planet Mu, Trilogy Tapes, Bedouin Records, Stroboscopic Artefacts, and Phantom Limb. He is also the owner of the label Eotrax.

Together, they continue a conversation shaped by their ever-growing sonic heritage and shared musical affinities. The inclusion of field recordings for example, often personal ones, are not only ornamental but are integral parts of the whole album in which vocal samples are both used in moments of release or through thrusts of heavy beats, continually mirroring a state of unease…

“Those in the diaspora, are those that have left their home, by force, by will, somewhere in between. Are we the connective tissue that makes things more interesting?” https://drownedbylocals.bandcamp.com/.../light-meteors...

ROJIN SHARAFI

Rojin Sharafi, a Tehran-born, Vienna-based sound artist, performer, and composer, fuses raw and abstract emotions with electronic elements that emulate acoustic sounds. Her distinctive musical language intertwines acoustic elements, replicating electronic textures and vice versa, resulting in a synthesis of resilient yet vulnerable and honest sonic expressions.

Using a mix of analog, acoustic, and augmented instruments, alongside custom-designed digital tools, Sharafi gained recognition for her debut album, "Urns Waiting to be Fed," described as “one of [2019’s] most ecstatic and fiercely original hours of music” by The Quietus. Following this success, she released "Zangaar" in 2020 and "Kariz" in 2021. In 2023, Sharafi, together with her band members from HUUUM, published their debut album—an exploration of folk futurism. Sharafi's music transcends established forms and conventions, venturing into uncharted electroacoustic cartographies.

Disrupting hierarchies of rhythm, melody, and timbre, her compositions flow through mutating sounds, avoiding any predictable climax or conclusion. In this sonic journey, traces of traditional Iranian music subvert against metallic percussion, 8-bit particles, and nuanced textures, challenging logical canons and probing the unknown without alienating the audience. Her live sets have been showcased at festivals and venues worldwide, from London to New York, reflecting Sharafi's versatile and innovative contributions to the global contemporary music scene. https://rojinsharafi.bandcamp.com

TELEϟPORT x ABDX

Péter Márton, aka TELEϟPORT, is renowned for his DIY modular soundscapes and thunderous techno improvisations. Having shared the stage with Pan Sonic, he is also a co-founder of the Davoria sound system and holds workshops at the University of Pécs' Electronic Music and Media Arts department. Known as Prell, the electroacoustic drone artist is constantly working on an unfinished piece for mechanical piano. For this special event, he joins forces with Mexican visual warlock Rodrigo Guzman to open an AI-enhanced hardtechno vortex on the stage. https://soundcloud.com/telesporter

STRUMA+IODINE

Struma+Iodine is a Vienna-based artistic platform that features events, podcasts, mixes, and articles. it engages with the deeper structures of the present as a contribution to the globally distributed efforts of transforming them. A community that is based on shared pulses and frequencies. https://www.strumandiodine.com

artwork by Omar El-Sadek