Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee are musicians, songwriters and artists based in London.
The London based polyvalent artists have been working either together or independently in a great variety of projects, including exhibitions, art installations, sculptures, photography, drawing and painting, which brought them to art galleries and museums in London, Barcelona, Beijing and Paris. Also they have been releasing experimental films and music videos, which they write, direct, photograph, score and sometimes star in. Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee likewise have been composing and experimenting with different kinds of music and eclectic sounds.
In 2015, they founded MU, a project that included performances in their own exhibitions and video installations, improvisation and soundtracks for their artworks. With MU they did tours in Japan, and shows in Europe and London. MU recorded four albums and released them in limited hand numbered editions that are seen by the band as artworks themselves.
After including several of their own original compositions on 2018's Céli Lee's drawing book 變形記 (A Journal of Transform), as soundtracks for the artworks, MU decided to shelve the project and initiate a new group - Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee. They immediately began to work on their debut album "The Eternal Dice". 變形記 (A Journal of Transform), is definitely the catalyst for their new band. Their multi-genre approach to soundcraft encompassing aspects of jazz, progressive rock, Asian influences and atmospheric sounds is precursor for The Eternal Dice.
THE ETERNAL DICE
Between 2018 and 2019 Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee recorded this album, in London, UK, and released it the following year via ENTERTAINING VIOLENCE Records.
This album expresses some of Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee’s best work, music wise. And their first effort as songwriters. Beginning with the elegant and smooth leftfield downtempo jazz in ”Once Again For Sainte-Victoire”, an epic introduction to a journey, a search not unlike the one of Cezanne's on his way to his Montagne Sainte-Victoire.
The album travels thematically and musically to different places. From the coolness of "The Northern World", with fuzzy and distorted guitars and mellotron. To "Midnight Song" a beautiful ballad that towards the middle of the track swims deeper into electronic ambient improvisations and reverse tape loops, creating a soft and delicate soundscape, enough to fill up the hidden corners of your room at midnight.
It covers different genres, like the modern classic song "There's More To Be Found" which reveals itself as the interior monologue of an artist, and the conflicts in capturing the ever-changing beauty in nature and constantly searching for one’s own images.
Ending with the intriguing track "Last Space Remaining", a deep, smooth and relaxed song morphs into a whirlwind of electronic sound which invites the listener to submerge into the album, once again.
The Eternal Dice, is an album to enjoy without rush. If not in a hurry, it invites you to enter an intimate world of nostalgic melodramatic melodies and epic lyrics.
IRON STRING
In April 2021, Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee released a new instrumental EP album “Iron String” under their own label ENTERTAINING VIOLENCE. The EP was recorded against a backdrop of creative activities — Céli's new series of oil paintings and Sergio's first book of writings. These new works informed the music. “Iron String” is an EP but is also much more, it's also the documentation of their creative working process during Fall/Winter '20-'21. 'Iron String' comes with a book of artworks by Céli Lee and writings and poems by Sergio Calderón.
'Iron String' was inspired by the duo’s favourite music: 1970s UK progressive rock. It’s a varied and personal take. An inspired blending of guitar, percussion, voice and synthesizer, infused with energy.
The process of making the new tracks changed over time as Sergio's explains. "During the past year, before we started this record, we worked within new musical ideas, practicing and developing new compositions. Throughout the recording of 'Iron String', each track had its own composition journey, when coming into the recording, we did it very quickly, to keep the spirit fresh and giving space for improvisation and spontaneity, embracing new tunes and elements on the spot".
Céli says: "our practice is informed by the continuation of certain traditions, in art, music, literature and culture, such as epic, progessive rock or classicism. In bringing back the old, renewed, to now".
To be continued...
The London based polyvalent artists have been working either together or independently in a great variety of projects, including exhibitions, art installations, sculptures, photography, drawing and painting, which brought them to art galleries and museums in London, Barcelona, Beijing and Paris. Also they have been releasing experimental films and music videos, which they write, direct, photograph, score and sometimes star in. Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee likewise have been composing and experimenting with different kinds of music and eclectic sounds.
In 2015, they founded MU, a project that included performances in their own exhibitions and video installations, improvisation and soundtracks for their artworks. With MU they did tours in Japan, and shows in Europe and London. MU recorded four albums and released them in limited hand numbered editions that are seen by the band as artworks themselves.
After including several of their own original compositions on 2018's Céli Lee's drawing book 變形記 (A Journal of Transform), as soundtracks for the artworks, MU decided to shelve the project and initiate a new group - Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee. They immediately began to work on their debut album "The Eternal Dice". 變形記 (A Journal of Transform), is definitely the catalyst for their new band. Their multi-genre approach to soundcraft encompassing aspects of jazz, progressive rock, Asian influences and atmospheric sounds is precursor for The Eternal Dice.
THE ETERNAL DICE
Between 2018 and 2019 Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee recorded this album, in London, UK, and released it the following year via ENTERTAINING VIOLENCE Records.
This album expresses some of Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee’s best work, music wise. And their first effort as songwriters. Beginning with the elegant and smooth leftfield downtempo jazz in ”Once Again For Sainte-Victoire”, an epic introduction to a journey, a search not unlike the one of Cezanne's on his way to his Montagne Sainte-Victoire.
The album travels thematically and musically to different places. From the coolness of "The Northern World", with fuzzy and distorted guitars and mellotron. To "Midnight Song" a beautiful ballad that towards the middle of the track swims deeper into electronic ambient improvisations and reverse tape loops, creating a soft and delicate soundscape, enough to fill up the hidden corners of your room at midnight.
It covers different genres, like the modern classic song "There's More To Be Found" which reveals itself as the interior monologue of an artist, and the conflicts in capturing the ever-changing beauty in nature and constantly searching for one’s own images.
Ending with the intriguing track "Last Space Remaining", a deep, smooth and relaxed song morphs into a whirlwind of electronic sound which invites the listener to submerge into the album, once again.
The Eternal Dice, is an album to enjoy without rush. If not in a hurry, it invites you to enter an intimate world of nostalgic melodramatic melodies and epic lyrics.
IRON STRING
In April 2021, Sergio Calderón & Céli Lee released a new instrumental EP album “Iron String” under their own label ENTERTAINING VIOLENCE. The EP was recorded against a backdrop of creative activities — Céli's new series of oil paintings and Sergio's first book of writings. These new works informed the music. “Iron String” is an EP but is also much more, it's also the documentation of their creative working process during Fall/Winter '20-'21. 'Iron String' comes with a book of artworks by Céli Lee and writings and poems by Sergio Calderón.
'Iron String' was inspired by the duo’s favourite music: 1970s UK progressive rock. It’s a varied and personal take. An inspired blending of guitar, percussion, voice and synthesizer, infused with energy.
The process of making the new tracks changed over time as Sergio's explains. "During the past year, before we started this record, we worked within new musical ideas, practicing and developing new compositions. Throughout the recording of 'Iron String', each track had its own composition journey, when coming into the recording, we did it very quickly, to keep the spirit fresh and giving space for improvisation and spontaneity, embracing new tunes and elements on the spot".
Céli says: "our practice is informed by the continuation of certain traditions, in art, music, literature and culture, such as epic, progessive rock or classicism. In bringing back the old, renewed, to now".
To be continued...
