CARBON BASED LIFEFORMS + ORACLE SOUND – THE OLD MARKET, HOVE 24.4.25
Carbon Based Lifeforms (CBL) are a Swedish electronic music duo formed in Gothenburg in 1996 by Johannes Hedberg and Daniel Vadestrid (né Ringström and formerly Segerstad), who had met each other five years previously when Hedberg was transferred to the same class as Ringström at the age of 15. The pair gelled and started to fully explore ambient music after discovering Solar Quest’s 1994 ‘Orgship’ album which quickly became a favourite of theirs and influenced the two to make similar music. Electronic bands The Future Sound of London and Boards of Canada were also a big influence on them; Vadestrid called them “our role models”.
Since 2002 they have released 7 official full length albums: ‘Hydroponic Garden’ (2003), ‘World Of Sleepers’ (2006), ‘Interloper’ (2009) and ‘Twenty Three’ (2012), ‘Derelicts’ (2017), ‘Stochastic’ (2021) and ‘Seeker’ (2023), as well as two compilations and three soundtracks. Their music has been extraordinarily well received by connoisseurs within the ambient/psybient scenes and well beyond. Find these albums on their Bandcamp page HERE.
CBL aim to combine earth and space in their music, using the combination of nature and technology as the main inspiration for their work. They have played all over Europe and the US including many festival appearances such as Symbiosis (US), Anthropos (UK) and Ozora (Hungry) and played 2 consecutive sold out laser shows in London in 2023.
In 2009 the duo played a groundbreaking 360 degree show at Cosmonova, the planetarium at the Swedish Museum of Natural History. Ticket demand was so huge that the show sold out immediately and a second was quickly added. In 2024 they performed at another literally groundbreaking show as it was down an ancient mine 80 meters underground in a 40m high cave.
Their albums, ‘World Of Sleepers’ (No.1), ‘Interloper’ (No.2), ‘Hydroponic Garden’ (No.4) and ‘Derelicts’ (No.14) are in the top twenty Psybient albums of all time as rated by RYM/Sonemic users and alongside such artists as Sphongle, Gas, AES Dana and Solar Fields.
In January 2023 Daniel Vadestrid released the book ‘The Path To Derelicts’ which takes the reader through defining moments that shaped the band’s story. “Johannes and I met by chance as children and almost died twice before our first album was released”.
The book is Daniel’s personal story of how the Swedish ambient duo Carbon Based Lifeforms came to be, and reveals details of the studios, albums, and live sets. The book takes the reader through defining moments that shaped the band’s story, including forays into other projects such as Notch, Thermostatic and T.S.R. It was rated 4.69/5 by Good Reads. The music is pretty good too.
Carbon Based Lifeforms have now finally arrived on these shores for the first ever time and are performing a trio of concerts which begins here this evening in Brighton & Hove at The Old Market followed by appearances at EartH Theatre in Hackney, London on 25th April and at The Yard in Manchester on 26th April.
This evening commenced with a special Carbon Based Lifeforms x DJ Paulina B2B DJ set which nicely warmed up the increasing number of punters and then at 8:05pm the reigns were handed over to Richard Norris‘ Oracle Sound for a 41 minute set, which we will come to shortly.
A few minutes earlier than planned Carbon Based Lifeforms take to the expansive stage and position themselves right at the very front with their equipment sitting atop of a sturdy table. Behind the duo is an expansive video screen. We can see that there is some Pioneer DJ equipment and others with knobs that are tweaked plus laptops. It all looks a tad bewildering! Thankfully Johannes kindly demystified the process somewhat and exclusively informed us (at the office) that when performing live he and Daniel utilize the following tools…hold on to your seatbelts, here’ goes…….
They have a MacBook which runs Ableton Live, as well as two iPads that run TouchOSC, which is a wonderful app that lets you customise your own controller surface, so it’s really integrated into their Ableton setup. They use that to start tracks, trigger drum loops, fx samples and mixing/fx on their synths. They also use a TT-303 (TB 303 clone) Monophonic Analog Synthesizer, as well as an Arturia MicroFreak Experimental Hybrid Synth which they use for leads and arpeggios. Usually Daniel does track mixing, drums and the 303 and Johannes plays the MicroFreak. And there you have it! So it’s far from two blokes standing on the stage wearing glasses (not Orbital style ones) in their socks, smiling and sipping their Moretti beers!!!
It’s obvious that the duo are overjoyed to be performing for us lucky punters this evening, as not only do they take to the stage early, but they leave it late too, and so from 8:52pm until 10:33pm we are in their capable hands. We are given 18 career spanning (mainly) instrumental compositions that date from between 2003 and 2023.
It’s a quiet ambient beginning with ‘Epicenter’ from their 2003 ‘Hydroponic Garden’ album and the backing film has relaxing waves lapping at the edge of a beach. Thankfully we are positioned at the very front for a full immersive experience, which includes the deep bass notes making my trousers vibrate against my legs, which makes them tingle. As was the case for the whole evening, the quality of the sound is crisp and clear and the lighting is on the lower side so as not to detract from the backing films. After ten minutes, the intensity of the beats increased a tad for the conclusion of the song. Selection two was ‘20 Minutes’ which was originally from their 2010 ‘Interloper’ album, but was later expanded to a full 20 minute track release. The backing film had moved away from the beach and into a pleasant woodland setting, which throughout the evening was a go to vibe. This tune is also an ambient affair, but with enough beat for Johannes and Daniel to merrily bob away as they utilised their tools of the trade.
OK, I’m now going to address the elephant in the room and it’s nothing to do with CBL. Please can anyone explain to me, why is it some folk pay for their entry tickets and go to the gig, but rather than standing and absorbing what is being performed for them, a certain small number of punters decide that they are still at the pub and continue to constantly offload their pathetic verbal diarrhea at loud levels during the whole night! We were at the front and yet a few around us kept gassing away with their drivel in Scouse and Irish accents and quite frankly spoiling it for others around them. I know that someone on stage earlier in the night was actually put off by what they could hear from those “fans” at the front and this was affecting their performance. Someone did nicely speak to them about this, but it was totally ignored and the constant chatter carried on for the whole CBL set.
Right then, back to the sound and vision and CBL’s third selection was ‘Gryning’ from their 2006 ‘World Of Sleepers’ album and this had the deepest bass notes thus far and musically it was getting quite like Jean-Michel Jarre in places. The woodland film was replaced by a close up of moss and lichen. In between each tune, we get a mouthed “thank you” (there are no microphones on stage) from the duo as they sip their beers. The musical floatiness continues with the performing of the title tune from their 2017 ‘Derelicts’ album and the video switches from the forest floor to looking up through the canopy at the sky. There’s more canopy and floaty music on the go during ‘Frog’ from their 2010 ‘Interloper’ album. Thankfully there are no humans in any of their videos and almost no animals either other than the occasional bird that whizzes past in the background. It’s all being at one with nature and the planet.
The title tune from their 2010 ‘Interloper’ album is up next and there’s some fluttering of leaves in the slight wind going on behind the lads as they throw out some more floatiness which is peppered with some further trouser shaking deep base notes. The best tune thus far follows in the form of ‘~42°’ from 2017’s ‘Derelicts’ album with its meaty electronic bleeps. The backing video begins with reeds by the side of a lake and then switches to gnarled tree roots. The chunky slow grinding ‘MOS6581’ from 2003’s ‘Hydroponic Garden’ long player is next and this reminds me of some Depeche Mode tunes and this track gets really serious at 9:43pm to great cheers from the crowd. It’s their most immediate tune thus far and is my new fave. The video is still focusing on the forest floor with fallen and decaying trees.
‘Departed’ from 2023’s ‘Seeker’ album slowly builds and then nicely booms out at us. The woodland floor setting switches to water reflections in a dark cave which is lit by the occasional light. There’s a pleasant booming beat on offer for ‘Equilibrium’ from 2017’s ‘Derelicts’ album and the video switches back to trees in a forest, but as a reflection in water. The reflection film continues with a lake and distant buildings which could be farm huts and buildings as ‘Right Where It Ends’ from 2010’s ‘Interloper’ album is performed where it nicely booms and twinkles away at us. After this Johannes grabs a photo of the crowd as a souvenir and then they are off again, this time with ‘Photosynthesis’ from 2006’s ‘World Of Sleepers’ album, which does actually have background vocal cut-ups or samples which sound not unlike astronauts talking, which is something like Public Service Broadcasting would do, but these vocals says “What about the forests”. There was more tree canopy during this tune, but it then morphed into shots of the side of a modern building which is being duplicated and rotated. This then gives way to duplicated canopy shots.
The title tune from their ‘Seeker’ album from 2023 is served next and musically this reminds me of Jam & Spoon, and the canopy video continues. ‘Accede’ from 2017’s ‘Derelicts’ album is a memorable number as its beat increases as does the intensity of the song at the midway point. This is greeted by some whoops of joy from the crowd. The video is initially more canopy, but this morphs into a kaleidoscopic closeups of plants as well as some modern building textures. ‘Supersede’ from 2020’s ‘ALT:02’ album comes next and begins with a chugging booming beat which is maintained throughout, which is fabulous and there was much dancing and bopping to be had by the packed crowd. This track has the vibe of a slow acid house tune. The backing film is kaleidoscopic.
‘Tensor’ from 2003’s ‘Hydroponic Garden’ album is played next and the kaleidoscopic effects continue, with this time which looks like the inside of an orangery. This is a slow building tune, which is enjoyable, but quite frankly bettered by ‘Rymden3000’ from 2023’s ‘Seeker’ album which actually has lyrics “Don’t stay blue; We’re Behind; It was always me and you; And we’ll see this through somehow; It was always me and you; And if we don’t see this through; It’s alright”. This very much is a euphoric anthem in the mold of M83 and a perfect way to close their set! The duo put their shoes back on and are gone. But we cry for more, despite it being at the deadline, but thankfully the lads make a swift return and perform a new as yet unnamed six minute tune. It’s their most danceable track of the night with its booming beat and repeated key sequence and is actually my choice cut of the performance! Talk about leaving the best till last!
There was much love in the room for Johannes and Daniel and it was clear that they truly felt it. Mission accomplished lads!
Carbon Based Lifeforms:
Johannes Hedberg – instruments, production (1996–present)
Daniel Vadestrid – instruments, production (1996–present)
Carbon Based Lifeforms setlist:
‘Epicenter’ (from 2003 ‘Hydroponic Garden’ album)
‘20 Minutes’ (from 2010 ‘Interloper’ album)
‘Gryning’ (from 2006 ‘World Of Sleepers’ album)
‘Derelicts’ (from 2017 ‘Derelicts’ album)
‘Frog’ (from 2010 ‘Interloper’ album)
‘Interloper’ (from 2010 ‘Interloper’ album)
‘~42°’ (from 2017 ‘Derelicts’ album)
‘MOS6581’ (from 2003 ‘Hydroponic Garden’ album)
‘Departed’ (from 2023 ‘Seeker’ album)
‘Equilibrium’ (from 2017 ‘Derelicts’ album)
‘Right Where It Ends’ (from 2010 ‘Interloper’ album)
‘Photosynthesis’ (from 2006 ‘World Of Sleepers’ album)
‘Seeker’ (from 2023 ‘Seeker’ album)
‘Accede’ (from 2017 ‘Derelicts’ album)
‘Supersede’ (from 2020 ‘ALT:02’ album)
‘Tensor’ (from 2003 ‘Hydroponic Garden’ album)
‘Rymden3000’ (from 2023 ‘Seeker’ album)
(encore)
‘New Unnamed track’ (unreleased)
Support this evening came from Oracle Sound which is musician Richard Norris‘ excursion into widescreen dub and electronic music. Richard Norris has been a mainstay on the UK electronic scene since the early days of acid house, when he co-produced the legendary ‘Jack The Tab’ album with Genesis P.Orridge. This led to an NME cover and the formation of his band The Grid with Soft Cell’s Dave Ball. ‘The Grid’ scored 10 UK hits, including the Balearic classic ‘Floatation’ and the million-selling ‘Swamp Thing’. Richard went on to form Beyond The Wizards Sleeve with Erol Alkan. He has remixed countless artists including Tame Impala, Warpaint, Brian Eno and Erasure, and collaborated with Joe Strummer, Robert Fripp and Sun Ra. His music memoir ‘Strange Things Are Happening‘ was published by White Rabbit last year.
Punters were treated to a 41 minute (8:05pm to 8:46pm) speaker rattling bass, ping pong echo and washes of reverb live dub AV set, which was all wrapped in Innerstrings full colour live visual projections by Chris Tomsett. Like Carbon Based Lifeforms, both Richard and Chris were positioned front of stage. There are two mini live cameras on top of the table which are pointing at Richard from slightly different angles and these are live fed on top of the electronic wizardry graphics on the wide backdrop that Chris (of Innerstrings) is putting together. It’s impressive stuff! Chris often uses the hippy psychedelic bubble dishes that create lava lamp effects when working his magic at Lewes Psych Fest, but this evening it’s just electronic graphics on the go as they fit better with Richard’s dubby electronic Adrian Sherwood style tunes. Richard notably has a couple of perspex thin drumsticks (one transparent and one neon red) and he sometimes taps his equipment with them, which looks rather impressive. There’s Pioneer DJ equipment on the go as well. It’s a decent set with many folk letting their Friday night hair down.
