Laurel Halo, Flora Yin-Wong, Rabih Beaini, more locked for Semibreve festival 2021

The line-up for Semibreve festival 2021 has been unveiled ahead of the event’s return to Braga, Portugal, between 28th and 31st October. 

Having switched things up significantly for the last edition as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the four-day experimental electronic music showcase is again welcoming crowds to locations across its home city for the next installment. 

The bill so far includes a new multi-channel electronic piece by Flora Yin-Wong, Laurel Halo performing alongside cellist Oliver Coates, Nik Void with Klara Lewis and visual artist Pedro Maia, and north-American harpist Zeena Parkins joining Portuguese maestro André Gonçalves. All of which are world firsts. 

In addition to those names, Rabih Beaini, Angélica Salvi and Eleonor Picas, and Rafael Toral, Yvette Janine Jackson and Judith Hamman will also perform global exclusives. Elsewhere, Supersilent is confirmed, and the labels Mera and Turva are involved in the action, too. More acts and artists are set to be announced in the coming weeks.

Due to ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic, the programme will run with limited capacity. According to the organisers: “Full access to the program will be limited to general pass hold- ers, purchased for the 2020 edition, which are valid for the 2021 edition. More tickets will be made available closer to the event if public health rules allow.”

Now in its 11th year, Semibreve is once again running the Semibreve Award in advance of the festival, in partnership with Edigma. The contest is open until 1st August, and looks to reward work in the fields of interactivity, sound, and visuals. Head to the website for full details. In 2019, DJ Mag was on-site exploring this boundary-pushing event, including a chat with visionaries Suzanne Ciani and Rian Treanor.