MENT, the Slovenian music showcase festival and conference in Ljubljana, brings together music, art, creativity and media technology. The three-day event (31 January – 2 February) takes full advantage of its geo-strategic position, showing pride in its small, yet unique, vibrant and diverse local scene by showcasing carefully selected high-profile international guests and new musical talents “from the Balkans to the Baltic and beyond”.
This year’s line-up includes the Austrian acts Dorit Chrysler, 5K HD , Wandl, Mother’s Cake, and Mavi Phoenix. An impressive lineup of Austrian artists who have been successfully navigating international waters.
MENT LJUBLJANA CONFERENCE & AUSTRIAN HEARTBEATS NETWORKING RECEPTION
Join the Austrian delegates for a Networking Reception on Thursday, Feb 1, 14:00 at Kino Šiška (Kamera), hosted by Austrian Music Export, Waves Vienna and the Austrian Cultural Forum Ljubljana. Use the opportunity to get in touch and enjoy drinks & snacks in a relaxed atmosphere if you’re interested in joint projects and activities.
The MENT Ljubljana Conference is also inviting you to interviews with Mary Anne Hobbs and Austria’s own Dorit Chrysler. Several meeting sessions offer delegates a chance to expand their international network; one session is dedicated to the Austrian live industry (see below). The conference will also feature some of the leading personalities in the music industry, including futurologist and prominent music professional Sammy Andrews (Deviate Digital), London manager and promotor Ina Tatarko (End Of The Road Festival Management, Parallel Lines Promotions), Olya Moldavskaya (The Orchard), who is the representative for Eastern Europe and Russia at one of the leading digital distributors, booking agent Sarah Besnard(ATC Live), Sasha Yerchenko (Atlas Weekend Festival), who organises the biggest international festival in Ukraine, and Pia Hoffmann, regarded in Germany as the chief specialist for music placement in films.
Speed Networking: Meet the Austrian Live Market
Thursday, 1 Feb, 10:00 @ M Hotel AB
Participating clubs, festivals and concert promotors: WUK (Vienna), Platoo (Graz), Ink Music (Vienna), Spoon Agency (Vienna), Acoustic Lakeside Festival (Sonnegger See), Posthof (Linz), Picture On Festival (Bildein), Elevate Festival (Graz), FM4 Events (Vienna), Rhiz (Vienna).
Austrian Heartbeats Networking Reception
Thursday, Feb 1, 14:00 at Kino Šiška (Kamera)
Keynote Interview: Dorit Chrysler
Thursday, Feb 1, 16:00 @ Katedrala
Speaker: Dorit Chrysler (AT/US), Host: Brigita Gračner (Radio Študent, SI)
Special: ELEKTRO MOSKVA (documentary film, Austria/Russia)
Thursday, Feb 1, 19:00 @ Slovenska kinoteka
An electronic fairy tale about the inventive spirit of the free mind in the midst of eavesdropping machines, Sputniks, Léon Theremin’s futuristic plans, and the decaying socialist construction of society. Written and directed by Elena Tikhonova and Dominik Spritzendorfer. More Info / Trailer
Full conference program: www.ment.si
PERFORMING FROM AUSTRIA
5K HD
Performance Date: Thursday, February 1
Time: 21:15
Venue: Old Power Plant / Stara mestna elektrarna
5K HD combines jazz, sound experiments, pop, and cinematic surprises. The ensemble is also expert at creating a subtle kind of funk. 5K HD is fronted by well-known band members from Kompost 3 and Mira Lou Kovacs (Schmieds Puls). Fine ingredients for an excellent cocktail. Kompost 3 provides creative and visionary experimental jazz, and Mira Lu Kovacs a delicate, strong, idiosyncratic, and original voice.
Link: 5K HD
Dorit Chrysler
Performance Date: Friday, February 2
Time: 19:45
Venue: Kinoteka
Best known for her theremin style, composer/musician Dorit Chrysler also has a prolific recording and performing career as a vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, producer, and engineer. With the combination of the theremin’s haunting sounds and Dorit Chrysler’s extraordinary and powerful voice, Dorit Chrysler creates music somewhere between seductive pop and experimental music that at first sets you in awe and then makes you shiver with excitement.
Link: Dorit Chrysler
WANDL
Performance Date: Friday, February 2
Time: 21:15
Venue: Old Power Plant / Stara mestna elektrarna
22-year-old Vienna-resident Wandl developed into one of the most progressive and interesting European producers in recent years. His longplay-debut „It’s All Good Tho“ brings his take on melodic vocals and experimental, bass driven instrumentals to the fore. His EPs “Milk”, “Soon” and his Affine-debut „Far Way Home“ stretch out his personal vision of brainfeeder-nerdism and state of the art bedroom-soul. On “It’s All Good Tho” he plays almost all the instruments, channels his vocals through machines, alienates and exposes them – and he’s not shy of monumental hooks.
Link: Wandl (Facebook)
Mother’s Cake
Performance Date: Friday, February 2
Time: 21:15
Venue: Orto bar
Helping rock with progressive elements find new fields of expression might be one the musical goals of the Tyrolean band Mother’s Cake. With their debut album “Creations Finest” (2012), they managed to draw first attention to themselves. But it was their follow-up album in 2015, “Love the Filth”, that finally brought them to the international stage. The band, that accompanied the British progressive metal band Anathema on their “Distant Satellites” tour, likes it loud, powerful, edgy and psychedelic with multifaceted and thoughtfully arranged songs. In January 2017 they released their third album, “No Rhyme No Reason”.
Link: Mother’s Cake
Mavi Phoenix
Performance Date: Friday, February 2
Time: 22:00
Venue: Gala hala
Mavi Phoenix is the woman current music pessimists are pinning their hopes on. Originally from Linz, she is now moving on the international stage. Her sound moves fluidly between rap, r’n’b and contemporary pop. At the end of May she released her second EP “Young Prophet”. She is 21, described by “The Fader” as a “Lo-fi pop heroine” and ready for the big time.
Link: Mavi Phoenix / Mavi Phoenix (Facebook)