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APERTURE on Bandcamp
produced with support from KODA KULTUR



ABSENTIA vinyl and digital via Unit Shifter Records

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Mikael Tobias is a British-Canadian musician, composer, producer and sound artist based in Copenhagen, DK. His work explores the liminal space between physical and emotional resonance, using live instrumentation along with meticulously treated electronics to create visceral and evocative soundscapes.

The first release under his own name, ABSENTIA, is an immersive album that weaves billowing layers of lap steel guitar, tectonic rhythms, and cascades of noise into a sonic tapestry of undulating textures. The LP was released by Copenhagen’s Unit Shifter Records in 2017, shortly after Tobias relocated from Montréal to Denmark.

His sophomore album, APERTURE, is an ambitious, cinematic release blending elements of ambient, post-rock, neo-classical and leftfield techno. The genre-defying collection is at once visceral, arresting, delicate and brutal. Released in May 2021 by newly minted Copenhagen label Barkhausen Recordings, the record expands into the visual domain in the form of vividly abstract audio-reactive videos, created by the artist in the midst of the pandemic lockdown.
"Really strong, deep and textured production." -Dummy Mag
"Amazing sound design and a very compelling progression filled with surprises." -Stereofox
"Absolutely riveting." -Tome to the Weather Machine
"...driving and powerful energy...great build and unfolding of melody." -The Trouble Notes
"The captivating flux of electronics makes for a hypnotic listening experience." -Underrated

Tobias has has toured throughout Canada, Europe and the UK and performed at MUTEK (Montréal, CA), SPOT Festival (Aarhus, DK), Le Mini Who? (Utrecht, NL), M for Montréal, Pop Montréal, and many of Canada’s most prominent jazz festivals. An adept and versatile collaborator, he has recently contributed lap steel guitar to Aidan Baker and thisquietarmy’s experimental krautrock project, Hypnodrone Ensemble on “Gets Polyamorous” (Wolves and Vibrancy Records), bass on the debut “Monolith” by Fluqx (Hafen Records), as well as remixes for London’s alt-soul outfit Hejira, and Danish legends Nelson Can.

As a film composer, Tobias’s scoring to picture has been featured alongside works by Tim Hecker, Colin Stetson and Brad Barr among others, and his original music and sound design has been featured internationally in a wide range of television series, art installations, ad campaigns, and consumer audio products. In collaboration with Copenhagen studio Six Bit Deep, Tobias co-created Polar Flare, a “Glacial Organic Electronica” sample and software expansion pack for Native Instruments, and the bespoke music heard on-board Norwegian Airlines’ fleet of planes.

Tobias is the co-founder of Montréal's celebrated "noise meditation" series practice (www.noisemeditation.com), as well as curator of Copenhagen's deep-listening audio-visual concert series, RESONATE.

More of Mikael's work can be found here.

LIVE

  • All
  • Upcoming
  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • 2022
  • Fri
    22
    Feb
    2019

    Unit Shifter Label Night

    8:00 pmLiteraturhaus, Møllegade, Copenhagen N

    www.facebook.com/events/392700738201854/

  • Tue
    02
    Apr
    2019

    Hypnodrone Ensemble at H15 Copenhagen

    8:00 pmH15 Copenhagen

    sitting in on lap steel guitar with Hypnodrone Ensemble

  • Fri
    03
    May
    2019

    SPOT Festival

    Institute for X

    FEUM // LIVE // ELECTRONIC
    TRANSFORMING HIERARCHY

    LINE-UP
    // Hans Berg [Official] [SE]
    // Birds ov Paradise [SE]
    // ROSYAN [DK/IR]
    // Sofus Forsberg [DK]
    // Mikael Tobias [CA/DK]

    https://www.facebook.com/events/2487434808016862/

  • Sun
    16
    Jun
    2019

    Frigjort Festival

    8:00 pmLoppen (Copenhagen)

    details here:
    www.facebook.com/events/2254889774760338/

  • Tue
    05
    Nov
    2019

    live in London (UK), supporting Hejira

    Laylow (10 Golborne Rd, London W10 5PE, UK)

    playing live in support of Hejira
    with Portico Quartet (DJ set)

  • Thu
    07
    Nov
    2019

    Le Mini Who? Festival, Utrecht (NL)

    6:30 pmCentraal Museum, Utrecht

    www.facebook.com/events/404287116947702/

  • Mon
    11
    Nov
    2019

    live in Berlin, (DE)

    Keith Bar, Schillerpromenade 2

    with Felix-Florian Tödtloff
    www.facebook.com/events/465407287410261/

  • Tue
    12
    Nov
    2019

    Anachronism: Hamburg (DE)

    MS Stubnitz

    with Felix-Florian Tödtloff & Triebe

  • Wed
    13
    Nov
    2019

    Anachronism: Bremen (DE)

    Schwankhalle

    with Felix-Florian Tödtloff, Lésions Graves, Triebe

  • Thu
    14
    Nov
    2019

    live in Rotterdam (NL)

    Worm

    Kriminal Records showcase with 6T^K & Felix-Florian Tödtloff

  • Fri
    15
    Nov
    2019

    live in Brighton (UK)

    The Rose Hill

    Ceremonial Laptop #26 w/Drekka, Mount Royal
    www.facebook.com/events/393963978134760/

  • Thu
    12
    Dec
    2019

    RESONATE #1 - Copenhagen

    Xenon (Rådhusstræde 13, 1466, KBH, 4th floor)

    RESONATE #1
    with Yuri, Sofie Birch
    https://www.facebook.com/events/821894494893945

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