The second release by Stefan Prins on Sub Rosa brings together four recent, large-scale compositions in which traditional instruments—from bass woodwind trio to electric guitar and symphonic orchestra—merge seamlessly with electronics, feedback, and field recordings.
"Inhabit" once again serves as a testament to how Prins, whose work is performed worldwide by some of the most celebrated musicians, ensembles, and orchestras, continues to stay attuned to the pulse of contemporary music. His compositions offer a refreshing, gripping, and consistently surprising exploration of the increasingly porous boundaries between the acoustic and electronic realms.
The first disc of this double album, co-produced by Deutschlandfunk Kultur, opens with "Inhibition Space #1," a piece for amplified bass woodwind trio and feedback, delivered in a masterful performance by the Berlin-based Ensemble Mosaik. This exploration of instrumentally controlled feedback is juxtaposed with an acoustic chamber orchestra in the multidimensional "inhabit_inhibit," captured during a gripping live performance by EnsembleKollektiv Berlin, conducted by Max Murray at Ultraschall Berlin in 2023. The second disc features Prins' provocative electric guitar concerto, "under_current," performed by the formidable Yaron Deutsch on electric guitar and the dream-team of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Ilan Volkov. In this expansive sonic landscape, ranging from delicate flageolet whispers to ear-splitting outbursts-the orchestra functions as an acoustic meta-amplifier for the electric guitar, enhanced by a range of effect pedals.
The album concludes with "Mesh," for five instruments, feedback, electronics, and field recordings, in which the traditional boundaries between human, technology, and nature are completely deconstructed. In their place, Prins creates a world where unexpected sonic connections emerge and dissolve, like acoustic mirages. The Belgian Nadar Ensemble, which Prins co-directs, once again demonstrates why it is such a sought-after ensemble on the international concert stage, and one of Prins' principal musical ambassadors. Additionally, this release includes an exclusive, insightful text on these compositions by music journalist, researcher, and novelist Joep Christenhusz.
The tension between the activities of Stefan Prins (born 1979 in Belgium) as a composer and a performer/improviser (live-electronics) is an important factor in his music. But perhaps even more important is his interest in contemporary technology and the way it influences the “conditio humana” in today's society.
After graduating as an engineer, Stefan Prins studied piano and composition at the Royal Flemish Conservatory in Antwerp, “Music technology” at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, “Sonology” at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague and “Philosophy of Culture” and “Philosophy of Technology” at the University of Antwerp.
