91Èȱ¬

91Èȱ¬ Radio 3's Late Junction brings together two exciting artists for the seventh in the series of monthly collaboration sessions.

As with previous sessions, Late Junction makes the introductions between two musicians, in this instance between electronic composer Mira Calix and singer-songwriter Malcolm Middleton, and the artists then begin a musical adventure as they write and perform new material for the Late Junction session.

Mira Calix and Malcolm Middleton, who live a few hundred miles apart, have been exchanging their new musical ideas online, and will piece them together when they first meet to record at the 91Èȱ¬'s Maida Vale studios in early August.

Late Junction presenter Max Reinhardt will be on hand to present the session which will be broadcast exclusively on Radio 3's Late Junction programme on 13 August.

Of the experience so far, Mira Calix says: "Malcolm has started some of the tracks, and I, the others, they've gone back and forth in both big and small chunks, as we've added to them and shaped them collectively.

"We're not quite finished yet, but the experience so far has been exciting (that's waiting for new parts from Malcolm) and sometimes a little frightening (sending back bits of a track and hovering by the computer for a response can fill me with trepidation).

"I'm learning all the time, considering someone new, creating space for them, being inspired and led by what they've done, while ultimately trying to please and create something we both rate, means I've had to approach things differently.

"I'm out of my comfort zone and I'm loving being there."

Mira Calix is an electronic musician, DJ and composer whose work defies easy categorisation; fusing electronics, organic matter and classical instruments in a unique way, she has crafted her own sound world that transcends the genres from which it draws.

As well as the five albums she has recorded for the Warp record label, she has been commissioned to write many installation pieces, compositions and film soundtracks. Her installation, My Secret Heart, was awarded a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award earlier this year.

Malcolm Middleton, once half of cult Scots songsters Arab Strap, has as a solo musician become a voice of sparkling unpredictability, unafraid of touching on his own dark side.

He has just released his fifth solo album, Waxing Gibbous, and his work balances a fragile mix of self-doubt, humour and wry observations on the human condition.

The Late Junction sessions have already brought together artists from a variety of genres and have inspired creative partnerships that in some cases have been lasting.

The first Late Junction collaboration, for example, featured the British twisted folk-pop-rock collective Tunng and members of Tinariwen, the Touareg rockers from the Southern Sahara. Having met and collaborated on the Radio 3 Late Junction session the two bands embarked on a Contemporary Music Network UK tour together.

Notes to Editors

The 91Èȱ¬ Radio 3 Late Junction Mira Calix and Malcolm Middleton session is broadcast on Radio 3, 13 August 2009, 11.15pm-1.00am.

Late Junction is broadcast on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 3 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11.15pm. The presenters are Verity Sharp, Max Reinhardt and Fiona Talkington.

Previous Late Junction collaborations include:

• 1. The first Late Junction collaboration was between British twisted folk-pop-rock collective Tunng and members of Tinariwen, the Touareg rockers from the Southern Sahara. The collaboration led to the two bands embarking on a tour together.
• 2. In March 2009 the Radio 3 Late Junction session presented AGF and Gudrun Gut.
• 3. The April Late Junction session featured Sweet Billy Pilgrim and Adem, in a special one-off session broadcast.
• 4. Late Junction presented Eugenia Georgieva, Jeremy Birchall and Shahid Khan in May 2009.
• 5. In June 2009 Late Junction featured the first collaboration of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Micachu with Sweden's drums and vocals duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums.
• 6. July 2009 brought together American clarinettist David Rothenberg, British multi-instrumentalist Lu Edmonds, and some toucans from London Zoo.

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