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Dec 08, 2023 By Alex Taylor Photography by Jan Pavelka + Czech Centre London Web Exclusive

Every year for the past five years, as winter has set in around the UK, the heat has been brought to the capital with a curated selection of experimental and electronic acts from Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary through the Electronica: Vision of Sound gigs.

2023’s experimental shindig at Shoreditch, London’s Rich Mix was opened by Slovakia’s Jimmy Pé’s scattered approach to genre - a tongue-in-check, irreverent mash-up of electroclash, techno and dubstep in which nothing is sacred. His live visuals of live and AI-generated footage acted as both entertainment and satire. Immense fun.

But the show’s centrepiece was Hungary’s iamyank, which was immediately apparent by the immense set up on stage - two drum kits flanking a bank of synths/electronics, effects peddles and a bass. Even before the music kicked off the set suggested something intense was about to unfold.

As iamyank took to the stage, he delivered a monologue about the intention of the set, lofty ideas of portraying a dying future, with intense sincerity, before launching into the pulsating and building Vangelis-goes-goth opening segment of the set. At this point the whole room was drawn in with a false sense of security before the explosion of sound came cascading from the stage.

Drawing on latest album Láttam a jövőt meghalni, a work that delves into the darkest reaches of ambient, techno, neo-classical and even hints at post-metal, this set established iamyank as one to watch. Live this music takes on a whole new lease of life, lifted to new heights and delivered as a real “show”. Iamyank, centre-stage controlled this flow of sound, swaying like a possessed conductor whether crafting layers of synth sound from two banks of electronics or playing crushing basslines.

Veering from subtle soundscapes, to danceable techno and blast beats, the 45-minute set was a real journey through emotions and genre. Iamyank can appeal in a cross-over way - do you like jazz, or metal, or techno, or post rock? There’s something for you in this live show.

As the sound subsided, he thanked the crowd for attending, suggesting that this music maybe isn’t “entertaining” and isn’t meant to be. To contradict him, it really was entertaining, but also so much more, it was thought-provoking as well. This was the first UK show for the band and in a world with any justice should be the first of many.

The shoddy state of public transport in the UK, meant that we only got to catch a small portion of “one man loop orchestra” Omnion doing his thing with electronics, and what looked like an Oboe - interesting stuff, but the night belonged to iamyank who played such a memorable set that leaving early didn’t feel like such a chore.

If it continues to bring artists like this to the UK, here’s hoping we get at least five more of these nights.