(photo by Sarah)

DREKKA BIO and 2011 TOURS -

THE TOUR:

"DREKKA turns 15 years old in 2011, and I am doing a series of tours throughout the year to celebrate.

DREKKA performs heavily experimental, cinematic soundtracks to films unmade where the accompanying images are unique to each listener; stylistically similar to the soundtracks of Tarkovsky's later films.

DREKKA's sound is hushed, cinematic, ambient, ethereal, industrial... at times discordant and menacing, more often communicative and inviting. Deep felt inspiration is drawn from such luminaries COIL, FLYING SAUCER ATTACK, HAFLER TRIO... while affinity contemporary examples of shared sounds would include SVARTE GREINER, LIBRARY TAPES, MACHINEFABRIEK and WOUTER VAN VELDHOVEN.

It is performed at a moderate volume, perfect for any small setting, including homes, gallery spaces, stores... it is NOT perfect for bars or places where beer is considered more important than listening."

- MICHAEL ANDERSON, FEBRUARY 2011

THE ARTIST:

DREKKA is the work of MICHAEL ANDERSON, along with an occasional rotating cast of characters primarily drawn from the Day2 Alliance (a community and collective of artists, labels, musicians and filmmakers which has been creating experimental folk and skewed pop masterpieces for well over a decade). ANDERSON also runs BLUESANCT, a Day2 label responsible for releases by BLACK FOREST/BLACK SEA, BODUF SONGS, CINDYTALK, THE IDITAROD, IN GOWAN RING, LOW, MOUNT EERIE, PANTALEIMON, THE PILOT SHIPS (featuring members of STARS OF THE LID), STATIC FILMS (now PILLARS & TONGUES), VOLLMAR and many more.

ANDERSON has recorded music and experimental projects, under various monikers, since 1986. Bluesanct was begun in 1996 to celebrate and share the music of DREKKA and its Day2 friends. DREKKA has toured extensively in Europe as well as the US (with like-minded artists such as JESSICA BAILIFF, THE IDITAROD, IN GOWAN RING, ANNELIES MONSERE, RIVULETS, STONE BREATH, VOLLMAR, etc.) And despite only having released two proper full-length albums since 1998, it has contributed tracks to literally dozens of compilations as well as self-releasing many singles, EPs and short-run cassette releases.

In short, DREKKA has been a long-standing record collectors nightmare; a case being rectified with an extensive series of releases collecting these varied and widespread orphans. The first in this series was a DOUBLE-CD issued on MORC RECORDS in winter 2009, with the second installment coming later in 2011.

SELECT REVIEW CLIPS:

'From the silent, sordid heartland of the midwestern US comes DREKKA, the many-armed musings of one Michael Anderson. Whether channeling the restless electricity of Coil or the cloudy backroom headspaces of Smog and Sebadoh, or deconstructing the work of its friends in the sprawling sonic underground, DREKKA tells a story very much its own, of chance meetings and blurred childhoods. It is the one story told repeatedly, blissfully reborn each time in its own love and self-forgetfulness.'
- Scott Ferguson

'a series of short films, bleeding ambient rainy days and nights into the somnambulant proceedings.'
- George Parsons, DREAM MAGAZINE

'Drekka is a dangerous artist to let lie in the shadows much longer. His sonic palette rivals any supposed master of musical shade. The scary part is he was doing it first; only no one noticed. Content to create on his own terms, he sits; waiting for you to come closer.'
- Rob Funkhouser, Foxy Digitalis

'Listening to Drekka is marginally better than being flicked in the eye by a child. I found their new project to make an excellent tea saucer as well as a convenient place to set down my used condoms'
- e.p. hall