Here at Neem we believe that modern sounds are important when paired with with our modern climate conscious clothing. We work closely with Halina Rice, a friend of the brand - we love her louche understated style, experimental sounds and shows which bring fuse the best of sound and visuals. We sat down with here to ask a few questions.
Halina Rice is an electronic music producer and AV artist renowned for her vivid and eclectic style ranging from evocative soundscapes to beat-driven IDM tracks described by Clash Magazine as “a world of fragmentary beauty”.
Working at the intersection of art, music and technology - her NEW WORLDS project unites music with mixed reality and 360 sound to create unique other-worldly immersive experiences. Live shows have been described as “part rave, part art-happening”.
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What actions have you taken to reduce your footprint
I generally take more breaks in the UK rather than flights abroad. I regularly go on hikes with friends and - while it’s great discovering new countries - there’s so much beautiful countryside in the UK. The Essex Way is a lesser known, but particularly stunning walk. For the music side I’m planning to take my performances to an international audience next year – so I’ll be considering environmental impact when I’m planning this.
How would you describe Neem?
I congratulate Neem on creating such a cool, laid back aesthetic while maintaining their sustainable values. I’m a real fan of understated style and they seem to have captured it perfectly.
How would you describe your sound
I’m really influenced by artists who make emotive electronic music like Rival Consoles, Max Cooper and Laurel Halo as well as sound artists like Aho Ssan. I create unique sounds with improvised combinations of synths and by treating audio samples with multiple effects. The feel ranges from haunting soundscape to more beat-driven techno-influenced tracks. Performances are in immersive sound – meaning the speakers are all around the audience – I work with partner L-Acoustics and using their L-ISA technology to create this. The outcome is a really impactful experience with visuals, lights and 360n sound - shows have been described as “part rave, part art-happening”!
What music means a lot to you
I like to experience almost any music live - there’s something about being amongst people and in the presence of the artist that makes it more meaningful – I went to a night at Café Oto recently to see Loraine James play from her new ambient project – it’s not a huge room and there’s no stage so that made it feel special and intimate.