“apotropaic activity” – the first release by aemlx, is inspired by the concept of ceremonial uproar – an acoustic practice initiated for apotropaic purposes, that is to chase away the evil forces and introduce a reversed reality. The compositions are centered around the sound of burczybas – a Kashubian ceremonial friction drum, that was rescued by the artist from a moving giveaway. Its gutteral sound is an invitation to a sonic cyberchurch experience of deconstructed echos of ancient traditions. The need to explore folk culture, infantilized by the (Polish) educational system, and to find oneself within these traditions, follows the desire for metaphysical activation of hidden worlds, the creation of ritual, the dream of changing seasons, world order, eras, resurrecting life from garbage dumps and ruins of empires in spring bloom. “apotropaic activity” is the first part of the diptych, an invocation of the power of ritual that will materialize in the second interation of the album titled “ceremonial uproar”.
*Kaszuby – an ethnocultural region in Eastern Pomerania (in Poland)
aemlx (she/they, pronounced emil, emilia, emilx) operates on the spectrum between art and entertainment, playfulness and mourning, awkwardness and pathos. Through misuse of tools of expression, they create intricate compositions that travel through drone, neo-folk and experimental songwriting, offering spells, confessions, jokes and commands. In their performance, aemlx draws from conflicting creative and personal genealogies, feeling misunderstood by their ancestors, creating personal (folk)lore using voice, electronic sounds and analog object-instruments such as burczybas (Kashubian friction drum).
With background in fine arts (Fine Arts Academy Lodz, Dutch Art Institute), they they work across disciplines and embody various alter-egos that use sound, ritual and humor as modes of knowledge production, attempting to devise tools for navigating the Eastern-European trauma in the reality of another system collapse.
Growing up in Łódź, Poland, currently living in Berlin, they are also a co-creator & a curator of Sabbath Berlin, an event series dedicated to presenting the culture and amplification of the voices of artists from Central-Eastern-Europe, the Baltic regions, the Balkans, the former Eastern-Bloc regions etc. and the creative director of a queer wrestling collective Liminal Beast of Prey.
They played at festivals such as CTM, Avant Art, Pop-Kultur Festival Berlin, Castello Bizarro and other music platforms across Europe and beyond.
“apotropaic activity” via Aural Prism bandcamp
MC+DIGITAL
all music & lyrics written, composed, produced,
and mixed by Emilia Kuryłowicz
mastering: Xaosmos & Aram Amatory
cover art: Wro Wrzesińska (parallax decal)
with kind support of: Duarte Eduardo, Marianna, Dzidowska,Wawrzyniec, Wróblewski, Miche, Moreno, Zosia Hołubowska
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