The Portuguese CRÓNICA is one of the most progressive electronic/media-labels, with a strong emphasis towards electronic and experimental music and its intertwining with all forms of time-based audiovisual media. CRÓNICA embraces the digital domain and its explorers, as the perfect context for the flowing of data and for processes that enable the maximization of a full intermedia experience. Last year they released their 30th album, a good occasion for a round-up labelnight with @c, Janek Schaefer, Stephan Mathieu and Ran Slavin.

German musician and soundartist Stephan Mathieu (b.1967) is among the unique voices in todays Digitalia. During the last decade he has released 16 critical acclaimed CDs, both solo and in collaboration with Douglas Benford, Ekkehard Ehlers, John Hudak, Janek Schaefer and Akira Rabelais. 'Radioland', Stephans latest studio work is now available on Die Schachtel (www.die-schachtel.com).

Stephans sound is largely based on early instruments, environmental sound and obsolete media which are recorded and transformed by means of experimental microphony, re-editing techniques and software processes involving spectral analysis and convolution.

His latest project 'Virginals' is a recital series which pays tribute to some of the great contemporary composers of minimal, experimental and electroaucoustic music. Interpretations of pieces by Phill Niblock, Alvin Lucier, Charlemagne Palestine, Francisco Lopez and others will be performed by Mathieu on the ottavino virginal, a Renaissance keyboard instrument, and mechanical gramophones with self recorded dubplates.

At Netwerk Mathieu presents special versions of Alvin Luciers "Music With Magnetic Strings" and Francisco Lopez' "Untitled #92".

CAUTION: due to technical problems, i.e. unfinished dubplates, Mathieu will play only Alvin Luciers composition.

Janek Schaefer was born in England to Polish and Canadian parents in 1970. He studied architecture at the Royal College of Art [RCA annual prize], where he began working with sound by making ‘Recorded Delivery’ for Artangel and Brian Eno [Time Out critics choice]. Since then, each new context becomes the starting point for each new album or installation. He performs live ‘Foundsoundscapes’ composed from the evocative, emotive and dynamic layering of abstracted textures and tones culled from ancient vinyl on custom built record players and manipulated field recordings. Janek was selected as the 'Sound Designer of the Year' by Creative Review magazine [1999] and awarded an ‘Award of Distinction’ at the Prix Ars Electronica [Skate 2004]. He has collaborated on albums with Robert Hampson, Philip Jeck, and Stephan Mathieu and previously released records with Asphodel [USA], Fat Cat [UK], Sub Rosa [Belgium], Staalplaat [Holland], Sirr.ecords [Portugal], Bip_Hop [France], and audiOh! [UK]. Janek has performed, lectured and exhibited widely throughout Europe [Sonar, Tate Modern, ICA], USA/Canada, [The Walker, XI, Mutek, Princeton], Japan, and Australia [Sydney Opera House]. He lives in London.

Working together since 2000, @c started as a trio and later shrank to a duo that occasionally re-expands to an audiovisual trio when performing with the Austrian artist Lia. The musical work of @c is developed in the cross-section of three complimentary approaches to sound art and electronic music: algorithmic composition, concrete sounds and improvisation. If on one hand their compositions are usually built around strong structural foundations, it's also common that multiple bits are freed from these structures when integrated into the sound work, contributing to the settling of elaborate strategies of deconstruction. Improvisation, either in dialogue or discussion, is central to @c's performances, as is the will to create open compositions and to nurture ongoing processes that digitally amplify sound realities. The creation of cross-links between referrals and memories plays with the balance between reconnaissance and abstraction. Pedro Tudela is a plastic artist and a musician and teaches at the Painting Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto (FBAUP). Miguel Carvalhais, who runs CRÓNICA, is a designer and musician and teaches at the Design Department of FBAUP.

Ran Slavin is a cross media audio-visual artist from Tel Aviv. Working with digital and acoustic music, experimental cinema, video art and live sound and video performances. Working between the contemporary art world and the experimental music scene, his visual work often probes and scrutinizes intense urban scenarios, fabric and panoramas, texture text and motion, with a sensibilty and perception of a fragmented fast contemporary culture. His audio work is a culmination of processed acoustic sources, error music and sonic panoramas often guitar/piano based/derived. Known for his videos, music and live performances that present audio-visual realms unfolding between the urban and the abstract, super impositioning the real and hyper real. His diverse catalogue of videos blurs distinctions between present and future, documentary digital and fiction and presents a hybrid of moving images, stills in motion, at times on the threshold of digital painting, resulting in dream like sequences, intense suspension and altered states. Collaborating with the labels Sub Rosa [Brussels] Crónica [Portugal], Mille Plateaux [Frankfurt] , AK Duck [Jerusalem] among others, has produced solo and collaborative cd's, soundtracks for various film and dance ensembles and performing/screening his work widely.