Eindhoven was once the center of . Even before that term even existed, there was a lot of experimentation in the in the 1950s . About 60 years later, Eindhoven still manages to shake up the industry on a regular basis. For example, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven supports contemporary composers with its composer in residence program. In 2011, the then resident composer Nico Muhly collaborated with guitarist
… ( ), who would succeed him in Eindhoven. The two gentlemen approached singer / songwriter Sufjan Stevens and drummer James McAlister for a large-scale project about celestial bodies. From the perspective of a pop fan, this is a super group, and they usually disappoint. Planetarium, which premiered in 2012, is no ordinary collection of pop songs, however. In addition to Stevens' distorted vocals and a mountain of synthesizers, a string quartet and a trombone septet set the tone. The concept album about stars and planets is on the edge of modern classical and experimental electropop. It is fitting that this progressive project comes from Eindhoven. (JE)more
