Bára Gísladóttir's new work is written for ensemble and electronics. ensemble intercontemporain will premiere the piece in the context of the exhibition Art of Metal at la Philharmonie de Paris.
In the programme note of the new work, Gísladóttir writes:
"amoeba proteus but make it metal is based on the idea of amoebae taking on a metal shape of different fundamental states of matter. The initial soundscape of the piece is woven around thoughts on the transition phase of amoebae gradually taking on a fluid, liquid, metal shape, and the movement of such potential beings. Later on, the various shapes become more extreme, playing around with the idea of liquid metal taking on a solid form or evaporating into metallic gases. From there, I pondered the concept of turning the aforementioned elements into plasma. This led to a somewhat melancholic oasis in the middle of the work, to be threaded before entering the final stages where all elements are merged into a unity (or disunity if you will). All this is then decorated with segments of heavy metal music, naturally."
In an interview published by ensemble intercontemporain Bára Gísladóttir describes how metal - as a musical genre an aesthetic but also as material - inspires her.
"I have always used metal objects in my compositions, both as percussion instruments and as objects with which to play and invent. For example, I am a big fan of… metal thimbles! What I find most interesting about the sound of metals is its rawness, its cold colors combined with the shimmering and shiny effects that this material can produce. But yes, I'm also a huge fan of metal music, like death metal. I started falling for heavy metal during my master's studies in Copenhagen. A real thunderbolt. There is something deeply intriguing about this genre, which can be extremely experimental. I think my love for the double bass and bass sounds led me down this path."