Image Credits: Jo Finn, push.to.play ‘push.to.play’ is a celebration of the creative community at the University of Sussex, curated by student collective PATCH
In the auditorium, experience an explosive live display of experimental music, visuals and performance from students and alumni, featuring sets from Robinson’s Village, the ambient project of James Burns, electronic duo Noise Peddler and sound artist and producer Furrowed who will be joined on stage by Cederick Knox for an improvisation involving a grand piano and a live-cut record.
In the Café Bar, we invite you to a DIY open-mixer sandbox where you can play with some of the gear featured in the show.
This pilot event aims to provide a platform for University of Sussex students, staff and alumni to collaborate with others and feel part of a community. Join us to experience what can be achieved through curiosity and play.
About PATCH
PATCH is a growing collective committed to producing an event that excites and inspires curiously inclined individuals. They are particularly focused on creating a space for students to interact with creative technology and express enthusiasm for how we can push the boundaries of live performance.
About Robinson’s Village
Robinson’s Village is the ambient project of Nottingham-born, London-based artist James Burns. Blending reverb-soaked tape loops with layers of warped modular synths, his sound explores the fragile beauty of decay and imperfection. His latest release, By Burning This (2024), was composed using a gently scorched tape loop warmed with a lighter to introduce delicate warping and sonic instability. His influences include Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Grouper, William Basinski, KMRU, Oneohtrix Point Never and Loveliescrushing. Beyond his personal releases, James is expanding into composition for film and games, bringing his distinct textural sensibility to new storytelling mediums. His next EP is expected later this year.’
About Noise Peddler
Noise Peddler is the electronic duo of Brighton-based composers and guitarists Danny Bright and Lee Westwood. A symmetrical duo of no-input pedalboards, walking the line between composition and improvisation, experimental noise and melodic hooks, their music explores the limits of what can be achieved with the guitar pedal as instrument. The result is a performance where pedals are the signal generator, processor and sole interface.
About Furrowed
Furrowed (Dylan Beattie) is a sound artist and producer making weird records and circuit-bending record cutting tools into musical instruments. Often starting with a blank disc, sound is inscribed live as evolving record grooves are performed by multiple pickups. As part of his unique approach, using a handheld device, he ‘tattoos’ sound directly to surfaces creating unexpected sonic outcomes involving locked grooves and sound fragments. His sonic palette ranges from electronic and melodic tones, environmental sounds, to hypnotic and cross-rhythms, analogue surface glitches and other process artefacts. Expect lo-fi looping, clicks, pops and crunch as records are made, celebrated and destroyed.
About Cederick Knox
“…pleasantly unsettling… the room starts spinning and then it dawns on you that this is fantastic” God is in the TV
Cederick Knox is the project of Jason Hazael, sometimes solo, often with collaborators. Offerings have included studio recordings of a semi-fictional jazz band, found-footage VHS mashup AV performances, free improv and recently, music for short film. Jason studied music composition at the University of Southampton and MA in Music and Sonic Media at Sussex. He co-runs Brighton-based experimental music night and occasional label Ceremonial Laptop.
What to expect
An evening of live experimental music, visuals and performance created by University of Sussex students, staff and alumni. Expect changing sound levels, from ambient to high-energy electronic sets, and dynamic lighting. In the Café Bar, a DIY open-mixer lets you try out music and sound equipment. The venue is wheelchair accessible and you can move between spaces freely during the event.
Accessibility and inclusion
This is a standing event. In addition to a dedicated viewing area for wheelchair users, limited seating is available to those with access needs.
Free or low cost event
Audience target/s
Everyone
Audience type / suitability
Adults and young people (14+)
Organiser
Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (ACCA)