On March 21, former Battles member Tyondai Braxton will premiere a new multimedia project, HIVE, at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. Braxton will play new compositions featuring modular synthesizer, sound design, and acoustic instrumentation alongside musician Ben Vida (Soft Circle, Bird Show) and percussionists Yuri Yamashita, Jared Soldiviero, and John Ostrowski. Each artist will perform atop a massive HIVE pod platform, designed and fabricated with Danish architect Uffe Surland Van Tams.
According to press materials, HIVE is "part installation / part band", and the show will introduce "the creation of environments" and a "visual element" to Tyondai's work. It was commissioned by the Guggenheim's Works & Process series and is co-presented by Wordless Music.
Braxton also has several spring dates lined up separate from HIVE. On March 14, at New York's Merkin Hall, the Bang on a Can group will perform a new two-part work by Braxton, titled "Casino Trem" and "Organ Trem" (collectively, TREMS). The event will feature additional pieces by Dan Deacon, Jóhann Jóhannsson, and more.
On April 6, at Carnegie Hall, he'll debut "Fly by Wire" with the 20+ member classical ensemble Alarm Will Sound. And finally, on April 16, Braxton will perform his 2009 album Central Market with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall, its West Coast premiere.
Check out "Platinum Rows" from Central Market: