BSLK002, the second issue of Blacksilk out on limited tape next month (sched. end march 2017)
“London Is Dead” is a journey in to the realms of London Life these days. Mainly composed using field recordings, processed vocals and processed acoustic instruments. This 60 minutes piece will take you in to a full cycle of life and death. Most of the ideas to compile this release came together while taking part in a collaboration with Vj London and Disenters’ Gallery called London Is Dead. Turn the light off, lay down somewhere comfortable, light up your smoke and press play.
Jose Macabra was born in Toledo, Spain. With a background in psychology, he studied Digital Media and Sound Arts and Design at LCC, in London. Since graduating he has worked in various fields of the Arts, quickly becoming an established musician, curator and events promoter. After starting out with the band The Joan of Arc Family (supporting Sex Gang Children and Tuxedomoon) he went on to Performance Art, founding the group L Karma DL Trauma, which appeared at London's 291 Gallery in 2005, supporting Ron Athey’s "Judas Cradle". His personal and distinctive use of sound and image has taken him to perform in various locations around Europe; most notably in UK, Spain, Germany and Greece, where he created the sound for "What Scratches The Glass From The Inside" with dancer Kat Valastur (which went on an international tour). He created the music for MTV ident animations, and sound for "Will It Hurt?", a performance by Catherine Mafioleti in London. In 2009 he devised an experimental theatre performance/ live soundtrack for "The Shining", at the BFI in London for the Stanley Kubrick season. In 2010 he created the "Dreams and Realities" show, which he presented with a performance art troupe at The Horse Hospital, for the London Underground Film Festival. More recently he performed at the Barbican as part of Cock Number 7. He is currently working with the band Brood, a development of Hypersensorial Squadron, with which he appeared in Noise=Noise=Noise, ILL FM and Resonance FM. The last project he is working on at the moment is a very original and intense performance with Ernesto Tomasini. Named Trans4Leben, this show, it brings a mixture between opera, sound improvisation, video art to the audience and it has been shown at Drop Dead Festival 2011 and MilkandLead Gallery London. Jose is best known for his work at regular events in London and Berlin such as Antagony, Sabbat and Behind Bars.
