In the budding BRDCST past, working-class heroes Sleaford Mods, Ugandan electronica label Nyege Nyege Tapes, and grande dame Tirzah presented inspiring programmes while pushing the BRDCST buttons as curators. This year, no less than three curators – Anna von Hausswolff, Backxwash, and Colin Stetson – will present their line-up over just as many days. Exciting!

The most explosive line-up of the entire BRDCST weekend is undoubtedly that put together by Zambian-Canadian rapper Backxwash. Her music – an explosive combination of horror rap, industrial beats, and cut-up samples of (black metal) bands – is fully reflected in her choices. Performing on Saturday 5 April:

LustSickPuppy

LustSickPuppy is the pen name of rapper, model and make-up artist Tomasyn Hayes from Brooklyn. In 2024 they released their album Carousel from Hell, which Pitchfork described as “Chaotic, passionate, electronic rage music. Think Lil’ Kim and rhinestones, Death Grips and latex doggy gear”. Their musical whirlwind has been described as “a madcap meld of punk, digital hardcore, rave, jungle, harsh noise and rap”.

Blackhaine

Even more radical: the non-conformist British rapper, choreographer and artist Blackhaine. His latest ‘song’ And Now I Stand On A Hill is a 23-minute short film. Heyes also offers creative direction to world-renowned rappers such as Playboi Carti. His work, which includes immersive A/V installations, has been presented in the Tate Modern, the Centre Pompidou, and the Biennale in Venice. Blackhaine’s live performances shift between noise, punk, ambient, avant-dance, and poetry and are invariably aggressive and overwhelming.

Violent Magic Orchestra

Violent Magic Orchestra (VMO) and Backxwash share a deep love for black metal. VMO describes itself as ‘Napalm Death barging into an Autechre show’, ‘Black metal meets Kraftwerk’, or ‘Aphex Twin invaded by Burzum’. It’s no coincidence that the band members assumed the names of legendary Norwegian black metal bands like Darkthrone (ダークスローン), Mayhem (メイヘム) and Emperor (エンペラー) or of American one-man black metal band Xasthur (ザスタ ー) – all depicted with Japan’s katakana writing system. Just like Backwash, their stage attire includes the corpse paint which is common to black metal. Impressive sci-fi visuals with endless stroboscope effects complete the whole.

Morgan-Paige 

Canadian pianist Morgan-Paige has deep roots in classical music, but embraces heavy metal “because of the way they implement their minor and tonal structures”. It’s no surprise then that she appeared on the Backxwash album HIS HAPPINESS SHALL COME FIRST EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SUFFERING.

Discover the full lineup and tickets at brdcstfestival.be.