strings

The Balanescu Quartet is a London-based avant-garde string quartet founded in 1987 by Romanian-born violinist Alexander Bălănescu. The group achieved fame through the release of Possessed, consisting of complex cover versions of songs by German experimental electronic music band Kraftwerk. The driving force behind the quartet has always been main composer and founder Alexander Balanescu. The quartet are mainly notable for their very distinctive style of music, which encompasses odd time rhythms, sound dissonances and complex arrangements.

(1) reflekt is a Danish band, mainly located in Roskilde. The band consists of 7 members. They play soothing music with religious lyrics. In 2006 they self-released the EP 'Grace Falling'. In 2008 they released their self-eponymous debut album through the record company Rock 'n' Soul. (2) Reflekt is a dance music outfit from England. The act consists of DJ/remixer/producers Seb Fontaine and Jay Peake (aka Jay P.), with Delline Bass doing vocals.

Stars of the Lid are a band specializing in drone-based ambient music. They list among their influences minimalist and electronic composers such as Arvo Pärt, Zbigniew Preisner, Gavin Bryars, and Henryk Górecki, as well as Talk Talk (both bands have tracks named "Taphead"), post-rock artists Labradford, and ambient innovator Brian Eno. Their music largely consists of beatless soundscapes, composed of droning, effects-treated guitars along with piano, strings, and horns; volume swells and feedback fill the gap of rhythmic instruments, providing dynamic movement within the songs.

Bond Street Bridge is the creation of Auckland-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Sam Prebble. Sam has been playing music for as long as he can remember, and ‘probably before that as well,’ as he puts it. Bond Street Bridge is currently a solo project, but Sam has always played in bands, orchestras and choirs. For the past few years he has been playing in the Broken Heartbreakers and Reb Fountain’s Bandits, and has recently guested on releases by White Swan Black Swan, Dylan Storey and Andy Gibson, playing fiddle and writing string arrangements.