Von Magnet

Von Magnet is a theatre music band originated from the post-industrial musical current from the 80’s. Founded in 1985 in London, the group gathered around Flore Magnet (stage direction, actions, vocals) and Phil Von (composition, feet percussion, vocals) initiating a style of their own which they named "Electroflamenco". Becoming rapidly well known in the underground because of their new approach to electronic music, firstly by incorporating the bases of flamenco (rhythms, dances and melodies) then later adding influences of Middle Eastern music.This electronic ethnic mix, often referred to as "expressionist" or even tribal music, features also references to contemporary and cinematographic soundscapes, (Andreï Tarkovski, John Cassavetes, Carlos Saura, Amos Gitai, etc.). Their compositions, either instrumental or vocal melodramas, poetic, lyrical, cabaret crooning are sung or spoken in different languages; English, Spanish, French, and also in Arabic, German, Turkish or Russian. Since 1985, even before the "Computer music" era, they experimented within the likes of the post-industrial musical movement (Greater Than One, Cabaret Voltaire, SPK, Coil...) using intensive sound collage and sampling techniques. This work will give birth to their motto: "Sample us as we have already sampled you". Although strongly focused around the music component, the peculiarity of Von Magnet is to endeavour the recurrent relationship between theatrical actions, dance as well as visual or performance arts, resulting in the creation of "staged" concerts. These multidisciplinary performances bring together musicians, actors, dancers, sculptors, video artists... destabilizing the codes or the staging conventions, the musicians become acting characters whereas the dancers/actors are bound to participate in live sound creation.