Baliphonics (Sri Lanka)

Drawing upon a particular astrological healing ritual known as the 'Bali Ritual', the music of Baliphonics builds upon the profound and ecstatic ritual music of Sri Lankan culture, providing insight into this rich tradition in a contemporary context. In association with their 2018 New Zealand Tour, the Audio Foundation is proud to present an Auckland event for Baliphonics. Established in 2009, the unique Baliphonics quartet combine the yak bera (devil drum), drum set, and double bass with traditional ritual chant and dance, promises sonically and visually intense, visceral experience for audience members. The group’s latest recording transports listeners into a traditional past, while at the same time testifying to the fact that even age-old rituals, struggling to find a place in contemporary, globalised society, embody culture's constant evolution.