Aralkum

The name of Kazakh violinist Galya Bisengalieva probably doesn’t immediately ring a bell. However, this artist, who now operates from London, has already had a beautiful career. Among other things, Galya leads the prestigious London Contemporary Orchestra, which can be heard on Radiohead's A Moon Shaped Pool, Frank Ocean albums and a series of soundtracks, like the Suspiria remake.

Aralkum is an impressive concept album about an environmental disaster. She wrote six songs about the Aral Sea drying up due to abundant irrigation. Her album is split into three parts, on the basis of three points in time: the pre-disaster period, the calamity itself and the future.

The theme is subtly woven through her music, a fascinating interaction between electronics and neoclassical elements. Besides the threat there is hope with the fauna reviving, but she ends on a sad note.

During an interview with the artist, she will talk about the creative process of the album. We will also discuss the environmental problem with experts in the area.