Focus on...Scanner

Throughout 2016 the work of Robin Rimbaud (aka Scanner) can be heard all over Europe in many different mediums. He’s a versatile and collaborative artist, his work traversing the experimental terrain between sound, space and image, connecting a bewilderingly diverse array of genres - a partial list would include sound design, film scores, ballet, contemporary composition, large-scale multimedia performances, product design, architecture, fashion design, rock music and jazz. We caught up with him to find out what he’s up to and to gain an insight in to the way he works…

So, what’s coming up? Some very special projects indeed. In June I’m premiering a new installation for the inaugural Fitzrovia Festival in London with a 24-hour long piece of music at Fitzrovia Chapel. It features recorded interviews with former staff of Middlesex Hospital that previously worked in the locality, and live musicians who will interact and accompany the piece over the duration. Recently, I’ve been super busy writing an orchestral and electronic score for Tomorrow at Sadler's Wells, choreographed by Lucie Guerin which premieres next week and can then be seen at BBC Arts Online for their Shakespeare Lives season if you want to stay at home. I’ll be back at Sadler's Wells again in July with the celebrated Russian ballerina Natalia Osipova and Russell Maliphant for a new production. Also in July I’ll be installing a permanent new sound work in Rijeka Airport in Croatia based on the sound of water drops and the Istrian musical scale, whilst at the same time designing all the new sounds for a telephone system that will be heard all around the world. Even my own voice will be heard on the Voicemail system - don’t say I didn’t warn you....!
What have you been working on this year? I recently released my album SCANNI with pianist Anni Hogan, featuring a wealth of collaborators connecting the dots between jazz, funk, pop and film music, which has been received very positively. In my usual eclectic way I’ve been working with French visual artist Aurelie Hoegy for performances across Europe, composed the score to a science fiction documentary on BBC radio, scored the entire campaign for fashion company Max&Co, and will have a solo exhibition of film and sound works in Italy later this year. That’s not forgetting scoring the Stella McCartney’s POP perfume campaign and even sound designing a sonic essay for The Economist magazine. This year I’ve had the pleasure of recording with cellist Oliver Coates, producing a new record for Roddy Buttom of Faith No More and another for Lee Renaldo of American rock band Sonic Youth. I finished my first studio album in six years, Fibolae, and am aiming to get this released after the summer, hopefully accompanied by some live dates. I’m also very excited to be preparing to tour again with my epic project, Live_Trasmission: Joy Division Reworked, based on the songs of British post punk band Joy Division, working with Heritage Orchestra, which played to capacity crowds when we last toured it across the UK in 2014.
Many of your projects are collaborative. Is this satisfying work? Absolutely. The notion of the solitary figure in a studio is so very dull to me that I’m always happy to collaborate, to challenge myself and see what else someone can bring out of me in a collaboration. The creative frictions can be so rewarding.
Your music is used in so many different contexts. What makes it so versatile? Like many folks I like all kinds of music, films, books and so on and in my own creative output am equally content exploring something cinematic one moment, then something with live classical musicians the next, finishing by producing a rock band. I’m a happy shapeshifter and find it very easy to adapt to new situations and respond to a brief as necessary. It also helps that I’m super easy going but professional and am proud to say I’ve never missed a deadline in 25 years of professional work. Indeed, I frequently deliver before a deadline.
Is there a genre in which you have not yet worked but would like to? I’ve yet to work out on a country album but I’m sure in time it will happen. Meanwhile I’ve only touched on films and games and would be keen to introduce and explore much of my work into that environment, if only to unsettle a few minds!
Find out more about Scanner on his website, follow him on twitter, instagram and facebook and listen to his music on soundcloud.


DATES
Tomorrow
Ballet Rambert choreographed by Lucy Guerin with an original score by Scanner
May 10|11|12|13|14: Sadler’s Wells, London
October 6|7: Norwich Theatre Royal, UK
November 23|24|25: Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, UK
Details

Avant Toutes Disparitions
Choreographed by Thomas Lebrun with a score created by Scanner
May 17|18|19|20: Théâtre National de Chaillot, France
May 27: Théâtre Olympia, France
June 7|8: Théâtre des Salins, France
Further performances in 2017
Details

Fresas (Ballet Bubbles)
Dutch National Ballet, choreographed by Juanjo Arqués with an original score by Scanner
May 25: Parktheater Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Details

Memories
24-hour sound installation
June 8|9|10: Fitzrovia Festival, London UK
Details

Outlander
Choreographed by Shobana Jeyasingh with an original score by Scanner
June 18: San Giorgio Monastery, Venice. Italy

Artist Talk - Scanner: Making Music From Ghosts And A Few Cables
June 27: Music Hackspace, London
Details

Natalia Osipova & Guests
New work choreographed by Russell Maliphant with an original score by Scanner
June 29|30 July 1|2|3: Sadlers Wells, London
August 12|13|14: Edinburgh International Festival
Details