The Munich-based collective Ark Noir explores the universe of electronic beat music mixed with the freedom of improvisation. In performances, their music is at times raw and bleak, and at others rich in depth and textures, but always pulsing at high energy levels. The quintet uses synthesizers, sample pads and a multitude of effect pedals to produce sonic landscapes played by real instruments, not computers. The band's debut album, Tunnel Visions, takes listeners through a vortex of post-apocalyptic, psychedelic and polyrhythmic vibrations, often blurring the boundaries between jazz and electronic music. The title track alludes to a relatively new concert series of the same name, which provides a platform for contemporary electronic artists to connect with one another over multimedia presentations of live music and visuals, first held in 2018 in the tunnel-like venue Milla Club, a central hub of Munich's music scene. Ark Noir's music inspires cinematic imagery in listener's minds as it forays through so many spacey dimensions, often shining a light on the dark, dystopian aspects of modern-day or future society.
