Austrian guitarist, composer, and electronic musician Christian Fennesz is recognized as the key figure and one of the most distinctive voices of electronic music today. His wide international reputation has been consolidated through his substantial overall contribution to new musical expression. In the beginning of the 1990s, Fennesz became involved with Viennese techno scene. Though formally educated in guitar and ethnomusicology, Fennesz decided to pursue composing and developing his own sound world in the distinctive electronic idiom. By plugging his guitar into his laptop and transforming and processing it, he managed to create a specific sound that is difficult to mistake for another’s. On his first full-length solo release, “Hotel Paral.lel” (1997), he introduced a mix of raw textures and twisted guitar sounds. The album was awarded the Prix Ars Electronica. Two years later, “plus forty seven degrees 56‘ 37” minus sixteen degrees 51‘ 08”” was released by Touch.
His milestone third album “Endless Summer” (2001) was acknowledged as one of the most important releases of the decade, helping to change the perception of electronic music today
In 2004, he released “Venice”, in which he combined ambience-rich sound textures with pop-song elements. “Black Sea” (2008) has proven to be a bold step in experimentation with longer tracks that outline and construct sonic space without necessarily filling it with musical narrative or a predefined concept. His 2014 studio album “Bécs” was followed by his 2019 album for Touch, “Agora”.
Within the last 10 years, Fennesz has collaborated with many musicians, filmmakers, and dancers. He has recorded and performed with Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Sylvian, Keith Rowe, Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse), Mike Patton (Faith No More), and many others. Fennesz has also worked alongside Peter Rehberg and Jim O’Rourke as the improvisational trio Fenn O’Berg.

[photo: Luis Martins]