UNYAZI III

Meaning 'lightning' in isiZulu, the name Unyazi has been synonymous with electronic music in South Africa since the first festival in 2005. NewMusicSA's national and international celebration of electronic music is back again this week with a stunning array of artists from this country and around the world.

"Fiercely intrepid improvisers" Die Schrauber, have travelled from points in the US, Mexico and Germany to perform their own brand of music involving dense musical textures and high-energy interaction that incorporates circuit bending, sampling and live sound processing.

Hadron, from Switzerland (drums, electric bass and electronics), will create an intense listening experience, and from Japan/San Francisco, American artist Carl Stone will perform his own music for live electronics.

The South African, duo Into (Brydon Bolton and Frank Mallows) create unique improvisations from visual material and recorded sound with contributions from vibraphone and double bass. Also from this country, we'll hear music by Hannes Taljaard and Aragorn will perform his work, which reflects early industrial music artists like Throbbing Gristle and SPK as he reproduces in his own way the raw experimentalism and inexact, intensive properties that made these artists so compelling.

Making a welcome return to Unyazi are Lukas Ligeti, whose close link with South Africa began with the first festival in 2005, South African sound guru Warrick Sony, who will present the brand new Kalahari Surfers album Agitprop, and Dimitri Voudouris, curator of the first Unyazi.

Jill Richards also continues her relationship with the festivals as she teams up with Johannesburg-based artist João Orecchia in a concert of improvised electroacoustic music as well as performing her own programme of music for piano and electronics.

Irish violin virtuoso Darragh Morgan, who is no stranger to Durban, once again brings cutting-edge music to KZN and American oboist Alison Lowell of the KZNPO will blend her instrument with electronic textures.

The Unyazi III Electronic Music Festival is curated by Jürgen Bräuninger and runs at UKZN Howard College Campus from September 12 to 15.

The events runs in Howard College Theatre, Francis Stock Building, School of Music. Concert tickets R50 available at the door (students and NMSA members enter free).

For bookings or more details contact Babalwa at UKZN concert office on 031 260 3353 or Fiona Tozer on 072 822 7988. For full programme details visit http://www.newmusicsa.org.za/unyazi2012.html