The music of Galya Bisengalieva is deep and atmospheric. The Kazakh born composer centers unyielding drones woven across a range of genres from folk, ambient, classical and electronic.
As a violinist and soloist, Galya’s performances have graced the halls of prestigious venues including the Royal Festival Hall, Brooklyn Academy of Arts, National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, ACE Theatre, Béla Bartók Concert Hall, Victoria Hall, Teatro Colòn, Strelka Institute and the Paris Philharmonie. She has closely collaborated with some of the world’s finest musicians spanning many genres including Moor Mother, Pauline Oliveros, Suzanne Ciani, Laurie Spiegel, Terry Riley, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Claire M Singer, Mica Levi, Thom Yorke and Actress.
Her solos and improvisations can be experienced across numerous film soundtracks including the critically-acclaimed You Were Never Really Here directed by Lynne Ramsay, The Mauritanian, Honey Boy, BAFTA-winning British drama Rocks, Oscar nominated Phantom Thread and The Two Popes, and the twisted horror remake of Suspiria. Her latest collaboration has been with fashion houses Norlha and Alexander McQueen.
Her debut album was released by One Little Independent in September 2020 and is a concept record about the shrinking of the Aral Sea, which has been called one of the “20th century’s more jaw-dropping ecological catastrophes, a consequence of the Soviet-era policy of diverting the two tributary rivers to irrigate cotton plants across Central Asia” (NY Times)
Last year, Galya released Aralkum Aralas. In Kazakh aralas means mixed/reworked. Galya has thoughtfully curated a remix album of artists to respond to her work having previously commissioned new work for her label NOMAD Music Productions. Those musicians are; Coby Sey, Jing, Moor Mother, Jlin, CHAINES and Nazira. Galya approached artists whose practise she judged would resonate with her source material and bring new light to the narrative. She was interested in getting responses from artists from such diverse backgrounds as Taiwanese, British, American and Kazakh and often approached previous collaborators for their insight into her voice.
As well as being a composer, Galya relishes curation, with deep thought having gone into her commissions for her first two releases; EP ONE and TWO. With Aralkum Aralas she continues to champion experimental sounds and celebrate the space between electronic and acoustic music.
Galya Bisengalieva returns to Europe this Spring for a number of concert dates for her album „Aralkum“ released in 2020 on One Little Independent.
22nd April / Berlin, Germany / Volksbühne
23rd April / Leuven, Belgium / 30CC
29th April / Krems, Austria / Donau Festival
20 & 21 May / Munich, Germany / Haus Der Kunst