Are ‘Friends’ Electric? review – Elaine Mitchener redefines what singing means in virtuoso tour-de-force

The concert at Wigmore Hall featured a vocalist exploring the vast potential of the human voice alongside electronic music. The performance began with ambient electronic sounds reminiscent of nature, including bird-like twitters and synthesized whistles. This transitioned into vocal explorations, focusing on breath and mouth sounds, devoid of traditional melody. The singer later introduced more recognizable singing, ranging from guttural sounds to refined bel canto resonance. The program included Yvette Janine Jackson's "Waiting," a slower and more enigmatic piece, as an opener. Laure M Hiendl's "White RadianceTM" offered a raw, intense experience, employing the repetition of the word “white.” Loré Lixenberg presented "Cosmic Voice Party," a powerful political statement set to faux-baroque strings. The varied program highlighted the diverse capabilities of the voice combined with electronic elements. The concert overall created a unique experience, revealing the raw and complex parts of the human voice. The performance moved from quiet introspections to exuberant soundscapes.