Fis and Rob Thorne

After spending the last two years performing across Europe, sound explorers Fis & Rob Thorne (composer in residence at VUW) will make their debut New Zealand performance together at Wellington’s Club 121 venue on Cuba Mall.

The duo will be presenting material from their album Clear Stones, released in 2017 through Berlin’s Subtext Recordings. A completely unique sonic dialogue between electronica and tāonga pūoro (native Māori instruments), it was one of the breakout adventurous releases of the year. They will bookend their duo performance with solo sets - taking us from raw, unamplified acoustics of Robs tāonga pūoro, to the full intensity of Fis’ sound system sculpting productions.

Fis & Rob Thorne created Clear Stones as a commission for Berlins CTM New Geographies Edition in 2016. In 2017, they performed it at Athens Borderline Festival 2017, co-billing with Mark Ernestus Ndagga Rhythm Force, Marginal Consort, and Charlemagne Palestine.

This year, the duo inaugurated Saplings Records with their EP Ngā Parirau o te Kārearea. Rather than pressing vinyl, everytime you purchase a digital download from Saplings, they plant trees in partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects. Since release, Ngā Parirau o te Kārearea has generated 8500 tree plantings, and been named one of Fact Magazine’s favourite releases of the year to date.

FIS & Rob Thorne will be joined by Berlin-based electronic music producer and DJ PYUR. Having shared showbills with Atom ™, Pantha du Prince, and Ital Tek, and released music through Hotflush Recordings, she’s a crucial talent in her own right.