text by Lara Monro
photographs by Jose Ramon Caamano

On Thursday 9th of June in London, Baba Yaga's Hut showcased the American avante-garde composer William Basinski at The Barbican. Known for his obsession with reel-to-reel tape decks, loops and delay, Basinski has released a multitude of ambient and experimental works to great acclaim since the late ‘90s.  

Taking centre stage in a sparkly suit jacket and shoes, with hair tied back and framed by aviators, Basinski readied himself for a solo performance of his 2020 album Lamentations. Ambient waves of sound washed over the listening audience. The piece evoked tension and sorrow through drones, orchestral symphonies and the voice of a female operatic. William became an extension of his equipment with robotic glitchy movements - a welcomed addition to his overall performance.

The lighting show intensified the beautifully harrowing atmosphere - bright whites progressed to deep reds as the sounds unravelled. Unfortunately, a percentage of the audience felt the need to capture the performance, but didn’t think to turn off the flash of their camera phones, or worse didn’t care. The momentary brightness set against the darkly atmospheric room, for want of a better phrase, ruined the vibe.

Lamentations was captured and constructed from tape loops of Basinski’s archives dating back to 1979. There is no clear beginning or end, almost as if suspended in a deprivation tank. Those who attended having never listened to Lamentations or knowing the concept behind it may have been sitting in their seats perplexed and uncomfortable. It felt like the kind of performance piece that left half the crowd in awe and the other half wondering whether they could get the last hour of their lives back. 

The second performance was an orchestral arrangement of Basinski’s The Disintegration Loops 1.1 and 3 by the London Contemporary Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ames. The Disintegration Loops was born from disintegrating tape loops as they passed over a tape head – the unexpected result of transferring early recordings to a digital format. The orchestra played with dexterity and softness, using subtle nuances of slowing tempo and quietening sound, reflecting the inevitability of decay. The minimal use of individual instruments left a lot of space for the music to breathe. Impeccable timing was needed from all musicians to ensure the loops had cohesion. The performance was melancholic - again I felt it might have split the audience, either submitting the viewer into a dreamy trance state or a deep slumber. 

It’s not out of the ordinary to overlook the complexity of Basinski’s music. But, thanks to the sonic brilliance of The Barbican Hall, the sound was effortlessly projected alongside the classy and conceptual lighting, all of which elevated the performance pieces. 

Special thanks to Marlon Clark for his contribution to the piece.