"The pair resonate the cavernous vaulted ceiling of the Jacobikerk church with immense-sounding celestial drones that seem to stretch off into infinity...one of the most awe-inspiring performances of the weekend."
- Ben Horton, Crack Magazine (UK)

"The duo sends slow, endlessly sorrowful melodies rippling through the church, growing louder and layered with deeper bass and hissing white noise. The woodwork of the church shudders, creaks, and groans under the resonating sound waves, submerging the audience as well. What a colossal sound, and how this music strikes at the emotions."
- Robert van Gijssel / Gijsbert Kamer, de Volkskrant (NL)

"Truly captivating... an endorphin rush where heady drones and blistering sonics formed as something likened to the sound of hope..."
- Simon Kirk, SUN13 (UK)

"It really is a magical mix of music, space and atmosphere. Field recordings and sound arts mingling with composed works.”
- Elizabeth Alker, Unclassified (BBC radio 3)

"An intense and almost physical set...this recording of the full 50-minute set is almost as good as being there...For those who were there, this is a reminder of the unforgettable experience that night. For those who could not be there, this is a nice compensation for what you missed out on.​"
- Peter van Cooten, ambientblog.net (NL)

During Le Guess Who? Festival 2024, Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri delivered an unforgettable performance in the stunning Jacobikerk church in Utrecht (NL). Live at Le Guess Who? captures this complete, unedited concert; a mesmerizing alchemy of the artists, the architecture, and the audience. Opening with field recordings to serve as a palette cleanser before transitioning into "Waking Up Dizzy on a Bastion"—a piece that builds from delicate, bowed guitar and synth tones to become an immersive wall of sound filling the vaulted ceilings of the gothic church with its raw emotional power.

"A Secret Postcard from Nowhere" follows, intertwining lush guitar loops with modular drones to create an intricate, expanded atmosphere. Towards the end, a cheer from the audience punctuates the piece's last minutes, adding human connection to the unearthly soundscape. At the heart of the set is "Place of Forever," showcasing Mogard’s sweeping synth lines, and paired with Irisarri’s signature cascading guitar textures, they stretch the tension and release over seventeen spellbinding minutes. "Cascade Infinite" is an awe-inspiring finale where subsonic bass waves, melancholic guitar lines, and sumptuous synths converge into a celestial crescendo that increases in breathtaking intensity until it leaves the audience in a state of reverent delight.

Mastered by Stephan Mathieu at Schwebung, the recording preserves every nuance of the live experience—from the reverberations of Jacobikerk’s ancient walls, dating back to the 13th century, to the standing ovation of the attentive audience. Emanuele Breda’s cover photo portrays the two artists silhouetted against the interior of the church illuminated with orange light and evoking the sacred gravitas of that evening. This live recording captures their shared artistry—a dialog in sound that feels at once fleeting and timeless.

Tracklist:

Waking Up Dizzy on a Bastion
A Secret Postcard from Nowhere
Place of Forever
Cascade Infinite

Many thanks to: Elisa at Folkwisdom, Stephan, Karen, Le Guess Who? Festival, Reworks, Emanuele, Marja, Gianni, Salvo, Laura, everyone who attended our concert, and our friends and families for their support.

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