Der Schweitzer Soundartist und – Aktivist Simon Grab und der Gitarist und Komponist Francesco Giudici bringen in den nächsten Tagen ihre erste gemeinsame LP “[No] Surrender” heraus – ein kämpferisches, auf dröhnenden Gitarren und schreiendem Feedback basierendes Fanal gegen die allgegenwärtige soziale Ungerechtigkeit und all die Gewohnheitsmechanismen, die uns diese vergessen machen. Trotz seines Weckruf-Charakters präsentiert das Album keineswegs nur aggressiven Lärm, sondern eine bei genauerem Hören durchaus feinsinnige Musik, die dem erhellenden Charakter ihres Anliegens Rechnung trägt. “[No] Surrender” erscheint bei -OUS.

“Simon Grab & Francesco Giudici’s ‘[No] Surrender’ is a strong and uncut manifest against social injustices, packed into screaming feedbacks and towering drones. Grab lures tender noises and pulsating frequencies from his fragile no-input-mixing-setup, while Giudici adds linear and visceral guitar drones, opening a dialogue between the two musicians, the room, and the surrounding context. Together, they create a uniquely soft but angry musical creature that feeds from emotions of loss and anger to become a haunting call for change.

The album’s cover presents a portrait of ‘Madame Rochat’ by photographer and film maker Aline d’Auria. The seemingly indestructible concierge was stripped from her home of half a century on the day of her retirement. Still, she persistently continued to fight for the working class’ rights. ‘[No] Surrender’ calls for awareness, resilience, and space for reflections. It’s a story about mankind being trapped in a world poisoned by a failed system of power. It’s an urgent call to overcome the darkness.” (-OUS)

Artwork © Aline d’Auria