In 2018 Rian took part in a month long residency at Nyege Nyege studio in Kampala Uganda, working closely with Acholi fiddle player Ocen James to develop a new collaborative performance for the Nyege Nyege Festival. This was recorded and released an LP on Nyege Nyege Tapes in 2023 and they have recently finished a UK tour.



Here is some documetation of their performance in Uganda in 2018





LP on Nyege Nyege Tapes 2023



Saccades

Nyege Nyege Tapes

JAN 2023

Recorded at Boutique Studio in Kampala, engineered by Sam Maguta from DUMA, mastered by Rashad Becker and with artwork by Balint Zsako.



The Guardian featured the album as global record of the month and reviewed it here

Read review by Boomkat here





In October 2022 the duo did a UK tour, playing at No Bounds Sheffield, Beaconsfield London, Centre For Strategic Aesthetics Rotherham, The White Hotel Manchester, The Old Hair Dressers Glasgow & Cafe Oto London. Here is some documentation.

Ocens hand made instruments; Rigi-Rigi, Okeme, Bila & Flutes



Workshop at Beaconsfield Gallery



Live at Cafe Oto London



Live at No Bounds Festival Sheffield



In 2023 they did a EU tour, with shows at Ateliers Claus, Heart of Noise, Lente Kabinet, Cave12, Stadtgarten, Serralves & Kilbi.







NTS Saturday ยท Ocen James w/ Rian Treanor 151022

Whilst Ocen was over in the UK he did a mix for NTS comprising his pioneering Acholitronix music with traditional acoustic ceremonial music.



Ocen James BIOG

Ocen James,a master Acholi fiddle player and is part of the Nyege Nyege music collective based in Uganda. He works with traditional acoustic instruments, playing Udungu, Naga, Rigirgi and is a pioneer of Acholitronix, an electronic remaking of traditional Acholi ceremonial music. He works with Otim Alpha and Leo Playeng, taking Acholi wedding music, weaving its traditional, see-sawing folk fiddles and call-and-response vocals with stripped, pounding drum machine polyrhythms in a sort of hypnotic, minimalist delirium.

He works closely with the amazing African record label and festival Nyege Nyege, celebrating the creativity of the African diaspora as well as Africa's musical influence on the rest of the world. They offer rare opportunities to see African electronic musicians who seldom play outside their home countries, and has come to be regarded as the African capital of the global electronic music scene.



Rian Treanor BIOG

British artist Rian Treanor's music is complex yet highly kinetic, reflecting equal interest in club culture and experimental sound design. He has released records on Planet Mu, Nyege Nyege Tapes, The Death of Rave and Warp sub-label Arcola. Using the programming language Max/MSP he develops bespoke software to explore extended rhythmic techniques and algorithmic processes, building devices that enable spontaneous pattern modulation within various collaborations, workshops, live performances and installations.