Electronic Pioneers Collide: Ciani & Actress Live

Electronic music legends Suzanne Ciani and Actress have unveiled "Concréte Waves," a collection of live recordings from their 2025 performances in London and Barcelona. Ciani, a pioneer of the Buchla synthesizer since 1968, sculpts sound by channeling electrical currents. Actress, or Darren Cunningham, is known for his distinctively lo-fi and textured techno soundscapes, drawing from Detroit techno and electro.

The album features improvisational sets where Ciani's signature Buchla sounds, described as ocean-like or like a steam engine, meet Actress's gnarled, almost ancient electronic textures. These performances, occurring in 2025, largely eschew quantization, offering a raw and spontaneous glimpse into their distinct artistic approaches.

Listeners can discern Ciani's fluid oscillations and Actress's often-corroded sonic palette. The fusion of their styles, particularly when their sounds intertwine, creates galvanizing moments that blur the lines between old and new electronic music traditions.