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Arnolfini - est 1961

Asian Arts Agency is delighted to present New Soundz Festival, a celebration of contemporary South Asian music, in collaboration with Arnolfini in Bristol. The event is set to unfold from 10 to 12 November 2023, promising an unforgettable auditory experience. 

New Soundz aims to showcase the vivacity of contemporary South Asian music through live performances and immersive spaces. 

The festival starts on Friday 10 November with a captivating performance by beatboxer and sound artist, Jason Singh, in collaboration with tabla player Aref Durvesh, multi-instrumentalist Tamar Osborn, and keys player,  Al MacSween. This performance promises to explore a broad spectrum of soundscapes, drawing inspiration from Indian classical ragas, jazz, ambient, avant-garde hip hop, dub, and the natural world. Jason Singh’s ability to craft immersive soundscapes, drawing from nature’s diverse sounds, has earned him the moniker “the human sampler” by BBC Radio 6 Music. 

a colour photograph of artist Jason Singh performing on stage

On Saturday 11 November, New Soundz will present a new work titled ‘Mone Rekho’ (meaning ‘remember’ in Bengali) by Soumik Datta Arts. Performed by sarod player and composer Soumik Datta, this immersive concert layers ragas, voices, spatial audio, and memories to pay homage to the past, present, and future of Indian music. 

The festival will also feature the remarkable British sitar virtuoso, Roopa Panesar, who will unveil the latest ragas from her 2022 album, “Subha”. The album is a celebration of Morning Ragas, portraying contemplative melodies that gradually build from the gentle hues of dawn to the light of day. 

Alongside the artist performances, attendees can look forward to captivating discussions with the performers and workshops. During these sessions, artists will provide insights into their journeys and shed light on the creative processes that shaped their recent masterpieces. 

To get tickets for New Soundz, please click on the link below. Tickets can be purchased for individual events as well as a festival pass that allows for access to all events.  

For further enquiries, please contact Asian Arts Agency at hello@asianartsagency.co.uk