Ahead of their recent show with Xiu Xiu, experimentarl electronic artist The Use revealed his remix of ‘Sand Dunes’ by audio-visual artist Rachel Mason. Earlier they collaboratively released their 7″ ‘On My Deathbed’ via Aagoo Records –  home to vinyl releases by both Xiu Xiu, Lucky Dragons, Philippe Petit and many more excellent artists.

For live sets, including this recent show, they are joined by multi-instrumentalist composer Brian Lawlor on bass and Ramsey Jones (GZA, Wu-Tang, Funkface) on drums.

On The Use:
The Use is recognized for his soulful theremin playing and imaginative, moody electronic productions. His music incorporates elements of techno, classical, jazz, hip-hop, electro, industrial, and even psych pop, making use of custom instruments, recorded samples, and theremin.

Recent coverage includes Brooklyn Vegan, Impose, Big Takeover Magazine, Huffington Post, Tiny Mix Tapes, and the ‘Symantix’ premiere in The Wire Magazine. He has toured through Europe, the USA and Canada, and his production and playing features on over 40 albums.

The Use has produced a Cibo Matto official remix and, among others, has collaborated with Danny Chavis of The Veldt. He is alsoin Pas Musique and manages the Alrealon Musique label.

About his ‘On My Deathbed’ collaboration with Rachel Mason, BrooklynVegan writes: “Glitchy and soaring, it’s a haunting track (shades of The Knife) that becomes even more so when you learn its backstory”. Most recently, The Use’s experimental electronica also found a commercial use with Vogue Magazine choosing his song ‘Hello Everybody’ to soundtrack a Louis Vuitton advertisement featuring Selena Gomez. In late March 2017, he also released a remix of Rachel Mason ‘Sand Dunes’ on the compilation ‘Alrealon Musique & Bad Alchemy Present: Trace Elements’. 

On Rachel Mason:
Rachel Mason is a cross-over performance artist, filmmaker and musician. Touted as “one of the most creative forces in the world” by Impose Magazine, her wide-ranging portfolio of mixed media work has been instigating fantasy and harsh realities through scripts, sculpture, rock operas, live performances and compositions for over a decade.

Mason is best known in music circles for delivering fantastical narratives that interweave musical, theatrical and narrative elements into unexpected musical journeys. Often performing in multiple guises in a single show, with elaborate handmade costumes and headdresses, many of her works have been presented at top art institutions in the U.S. and abroad. Her latest ‘Das Ram’ LP was released by LA-based Cleopatra Records in late 2016. Her collaboration with Michael Durek (a.k.a. The Use) began when Durek played theremin for an experimental play she directed in 2010.