Keeley Forsyth & Ross Downes: Bog Body [Live]

Bog Body explores our relationship with the ancient ritualistic role of peat bogs. A powerful, innovative, audio-visual performance piece crafted around the drama of Keeley Forsyth’s voice in collaboration with composer Ross Downes.

Keeley Forsyth is a composer, singer and actor from Oldham in the north-west of England. Built upon sparse arrangements, Forsyth’s music is centred around a singular, emotionally raw and magnetic vocal delivery, by turns devastating and uplifting. Ross Downes is a British musician and fine artist who composes darkly ambient, electronic, instrumental music. His recordings are filmic meditations combining atmospheric sound design with influences from ambient, minimal, industrial and contemporary classical music.

This piece is part of PRS Foundation's New Music Biennial 2022.

Commissioned by Sound UK.

In 2022 New Music Biennial celebrates its 10-year anniversary, and NMC are thrilled to continue as digital partner for PRS Foundations' landmark new music series. 

New Music Biennial's critically acclaimed free festival takes place this year in both Coventry and London, featuring brand new commissions from across all genres and musical styles: from classical and chamber opera to jazz, folk and electronic, by some of the most exciting composers and music creators in the UK today. NMC then provides a lasting legacy for this new music by making it available to listen to as digital releases.

New Music Biennial 2022 comprises 20 pieces of music: ten brand new works and ten pre-existing works from across the festival’s 10-year history. Live recordings of the new works will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and will be released on NMC’s shop across the summer. Download the ten pre-existing works from NMC’s online shop for only £5 here

Listen back to 10 years of New Music Biennial with our five genre-themed curated playlists. From jazz, to folk, to electronic music, they demonstrate the breadth and diversity of music showcased at the festival over the years: listen here

FUNDERS

New Music Biennial is generously supported by the following committed patrons, funders and partners:

RECORDING CREDITS

Bog Body was recorded by the BBC on 23 April 2022 at HMV Empire, Coventry.Producer: Jeremy Evans
Sound Engineer: Joe Yon

Catalogue Number: NMC DL202205