Michael Spahr

Michael Spahr is a web editor of norient.com. He is the co-director of the Norient Musikfilm Festival. He is a media artist specialized in video art and audio-visual performances. He also directs and produces films. Michael Spahr has studied history, philosophy and media science in Bern (Switzerland) and Amsterdam (Netherlands). After his master’s degree at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam he started working for Dutch and Swiss TV companies. Since 2003 he has been running his own media and art companies. At the moment he works part-time as news editor for the community radio station Radio Bern RaBe.
Website: www.rhaps.com

Cumbia in Space

By Michael Spahr on November 22, 2012

By Michael Spahr on 22 November 2012 in BLOG

Two Australians send Cumbia to the moon and back. New album and new video clip by the Cumbia Cosmonauts.

Posted in BLOG | Tagged Australia, Cumbia, Cumbia Cosmonauts, Cumbia Electrónica, Melbourne, Moses Iten | Leave a response

(*) Akustische Souvenirs mit der Welt teilen

By Michael Spahr on July 13, 2012

By Michael Spahr on 13 July 2012 in AUDIO

(*) Radio Aporee bietet eine Plattform für Tonjäger und Tonjägerinnen und lädt zu Klangreisen ein. So kann das Fernweh zumindest akustisch geheilt werden. Podcast-Porträt eines Soundscape Web-Projekts.

Posted in AUDIO | Tagged Dossier Soundscape, fieldrecordings, radio aporee, Radio RaBe, Soundscape, Udo Noll, urban space | 1 Response

Dust Collision

By Michael Spahr on May 18, 2012

By Thomas Burkhalter, Simon Grab, and Michael Spahr on 18 May 2012 in AUDIO

(*) Die Genfer Musikerin Kate Wax ist in Europa und Japan bekannter als in der Schweiz. Mit «Dust Collision» ist ihr ein eigenständiges Konzeptalbum gelungen. Norient hat sie vor einem Konzert in Bern getroffen.

Posted in AUDIO | Tagged Aisha Devi Enz, Border Community, Electronic, Electronic Music, Geneva, James Holden, Kate Wax, Niels Wehrspann, Radio RaBe, Raphaël Rodriguez, Schönherwehrs, Sonic Traces: From Switzerland, Switzerland, Tibet, «Dust Collision» | 1 Response

The sudden infant

By Michael Spahr on October 14, 2011

By Michael Spahr and Thomas Burkhalter on 14 October 2011 in AUDIO

Joke Lanz alias Sudden Infant arouses with dark-poetic, childish-dadaistic and very physical noise-sounds. Recently a book was published about him.

Posted in AUDIO | Tagged Dave Phillips, Joke Lanz, Marhaug Forlag, Noise, Punk, Schimpfluch, Sonic Traces: From Switzerland, Sudden Infant, Switzerland | 3 Responses

Woven sounds at the Theatre Spectacle

By Michael Spahr on August 29, 2011

By Michael Spahr and Simon Grab on 29 August 2011 in AUDIO

The musician and designer Stini Arn has turned a weaving loom into a musical instrument, though without changing its original function.

Posted in AUDIO | Tagged Noise, Sonic Traces: From Switzerland, Stini Arn, Swiss Music, Switzerland, Theaterspektakel, Webstall, Webstuhl | 2 Responses

Ethiopia as field of inspiration

By Michael Spahr on August 8, 2011

By Thomas Burkhalter and Michael Spahr on 8 August 2011 in AUDIO

The Imperial Tiger Orchestra from Geneva play Ethiopian music from the golden 1970s. «We aim to re-enact this music perfectly», reveal Raphaël Anker and Cyril Moulas in the interview.

Posted in AUDIO | Tagged Africa, Bethlehem Dagnachew, Diaspora, Ethiopia, Ethiopiques, Geneva, Getatchew Mekurya, Globale Nischen, Imperial Tiger Orchestra, Krar, Raphaël Anker, Sonic Traces: From Switzerland, Switzerland, The Ex | 1 Response

Shukar Shakes Shamelessly

By Michael Spahr on August 1, 2011

By Michael Spahr on 1 August 2011 in VIDEO

When it comes to nicely crafted traditional and digital music fusion the Shukar Collective is defintely a good example. A selection of video clips.

Posted in VIDEO | Tagged clubbing, DJ culture, Eastern Europe, Electronic, Gypsy, Matei-Alexandru Mocanu, Roma, Romania, Shukar Collective | Leave a response

Yodel impressions 2011

By Michael Spahr on June 22, 2011

By Thomas Burkhalter and Michael Spahr on 22 June 2011 in VIDEO

Impressions from the norient field trip to the Eidgenössisches Jodlerfest in Interlaken, Switzerland’s biggest yodeling event.

Posted in VIDEO | Tagged Eidgenössisches Jodlerfest, Interlaken, Jodeln, Sonic Traces: From Switzerland, Swiss Music, Switzerland, Volksmusik, Yodeling | 4 Responses

The Gospel of Beat-Man

By Michael Spahr on May 2, 2011

By Michael Spahr and Thomas Burkhalter on 2 May 2011 in AUDIO

Reverend Beat-Man is a mad trash rock’n’roll artist and owner of the label Voodoo Rhythm Records. Norient visited him on their quest for sonic traces in Switzerland.

Posted in AUDIO | Tagged D.I.Y., Punk, Reverend Beat-Man, Rock Music, Round Table Knights, Sonic Traces: From Switzerland, Swiss Music, Switzerland, Voodoo Rhythm | 5 Responses

Soundtrack for a Japanese Apocalypse

By Michael Spahr on March 28, 2011

By Michael Spahr on 28 March 2011 in VIDEO

A selection of videos featuring the apocalyptic sound of Japanese noise artist Merzbow.

Posted in VIDEO | Tagged Apocalypse, Asia, Fukushima, Godzilla, Japan, Merzbow, Noise | 1 Response

Music Freedom Day

By Michael Spahr on March 3, 2011

By Michael Spahr on 3 March 2011 in AUDIO

Today is “Music Freedom Day”, an action, which happens every year. Clubs, musicians, DJs and music institutions struggle together for the freedom of musical expression in the world.

Posted in AUDIO | Tagged Freemuse, Music Freedom Day | Leave a response