Christchurch Arts Festival: Clear Stones

In Clear Stones, Kiwi duo Rob Thorne (Ngāti Tumutumu) and Fis summon the sound world of their groundbreaking debut LP for Bristol’s Subtext Recordings.

Straddling electronica and indigenous acoustics, the pair improvise along a vast spectrum from Thorne's raw wood, stone and bone taonga puoro acoustics to Fis' deep bass, bold digital processing and vast synthetic tones. The conversation that emerges weaves technology and nature, computers and traditional instruments, history and the present—framing each as a vital element of a unique, cohesive whole.

Prepare for near pitch-darkness and heavy smoke as you journey through a vast, experiential landscape. Backed by a powerful PA, Thorne and Fis establish a hypnotic, meditative state, exploiting the broad dynamic range of perceptive volume and subverting the distinctions between real and surreal acoustic space.

This is sensory, groundbreaking electronica... think Ōtākaro's riverside swampiness and dial up the mind-body trip!