Barbican, London
The UK premiere of a dazzling electro-folk collaboration between Kronos and two Finnish musicians was a thrilling blitz of sound
The UK premiere of a dazzling electro-folk collaboration between Kronos and two Finnish musicians was a thrilling blitz of sound
Even by Kronos Quartet standards, this was a exhilarating performance. The adventurous Americans have constantly pushed forward the musical boundaries for a string quartet, collaborating with artists from across the globe, while reworking anything from jazz and world music to the avant-garde. Nine years ago, in Helsinki, they gave the world premiere of a work that they had commissioned two Finnish musicians to write, and now, at last, it received its first performance in the UK. Uniko was a constantly shifting kaleidoscope of avant-garde electronica, global folk styles and classical influences, with surround-sound and visual effects added in. It was an extraordinary piece of music.
