Today Moogfest announces their last and final additions to the 2017 festival, rounding out an already impressive lineup with DJ Premier, Zola Jesus, King Britt, Jana Hunter, Baltra, IDEO, Modular on the Spot, and Durham music collective The Floor. This announcement builds on Moogfest’s trajectory: balancing Future Sound (performances) and Future Thought (conference) conversations and workshops, with artists and technologists who participate in both sides of the program.
Grammy-award winning producer and half of the legendary hip hop duo Gang Starr, DJ Premier will grace the stage at this year’s festival. Premiere’s prized productions have threaded through the decades, defining the sound of multiple generations of hip-hop. Always evolving yet timeless, celebrated rappers and lyricists from KRS-One to Kanye West, have called on Premier to create the sonic foundation for their voices.
Dark wave electronic artist Zola Jesus is set to perform from her unreleased 5th studio album, TAIGA. Described by the artist herself, “The music on the record is massive, with big brass and beats, crystal clear vocals.” King Britt has prepared a Moogfest exclusive part live part DJ (hybrid set) fusing his mastery in track selection with live hardware electronics including two Mother-32s, while NYC-based producer Baltra will perform a DJ set showcasing his expertise of gritty underground techno productions.
Moogfest is proud to invite select 2016 participants to return this year, but has prompted them to contribute in entirely new ways. Last year award-winning design firm IDEO created a much-talked about sound installation. This year, they return to Moogfest with a host of top-tier minds in a workshop series that explores creative confidence, rapid prototyping and future narrative through the making of speculative sound machines. Last year, Moogfest alum Jana Hunter (Lower Dens) hosted a conversation with Laurie Anderson. This year she hosts a late-night DJ set. Modular on the Spot founders Eric (Rodent) Cheslak and Bana Haffar bring back their unique environment-specific outdoor eurorack synthesizer performances to downtown Durham.
Last year, the best underground after-party at Moogfest was organized by The Floor, a local collective known for amplifying the talents of regional DJs. For the 2017 festival, Moogfest organizers have partnered with The Floor to curate a lineup including DJ Bosslady, Andrius, Sound Resurgence, Ladyfingers, 3ZKL, and Strider -- talent that is all local to North Carolina.
Today’s announcement also includes 6 additions to the festival’s film program -- Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present which examines the pioneering work and life of the artist Tony Conard;Tomorrow: Travel the World of Solutions a in-depth documentary exploring solutions to climate change from around the world; Two films led by Moogfest 2017 artist Zena Loxton SpeakUP: The Power of Lyrics, which follows the life of a group of creative activists, hip hop artists, and journalists who came together in 2012 to create a revolution through music in Senegal and SpeakUP: Women of Africa, which looks at Grammy-winner Angelique Kidjo journey in Dakar as she passionately meets young female artists, inspiring them to continue using their work as a platform for social change; Transfiguration, an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival, scored by Moogfest 2017 performer Pharmakon, which follows a troubled teens fascination with vampire lore; and Life in Waves, a film which explores Suzanne Ciani’s pioneering work through her eyes.
The full list of participants announced today is as follows: DJ Premier, Zola Jesus, King Britt, Jana Hunter, Baltra, IDEO, Modular on the Spot, DJ Bosslady, Andrius, Sound Resurgence, Lady Fingers, 3ZKL, Strider, Virginia Tech ICAT, ONO, Brandon Stosuy, Elliot Inman, Johnny Turpin, Krista Anne, Fannie Mae, Frankie Hutchinson, Hisham Bharoocha, Joseph Murray, Marshall King, Valencia Wood, Elizabeth Traina, Zena Loxton, Jessica Collette, Raj Bhakta, Senator Jaiz, Give a Beat, Armida Ascano, Pierce Freelon, and films Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present, Tomorrow: Travel the World of Solutions, SpeakUP: The Power of Lyrics, and SpeakUP: Women of Africa, Transfiguration, and Life in Waves.
