A collection of songs in different languages which explore typical experiences and thoughts found in modern life throughout the world, these songs are a reaction to how more and more common experiences are being shared by people in all different corners of the world, as a result of increasing globalisation.

 

I. Perderas el bus (You’ll miss the bus)

“You’ll miss the bus, you’ll miss the train”; wherever you are in the world, rushing through the city centre at rush hour can be an overwhelming experience, but there can be fun in the madness.

II. Vue sur la ville depuis la montagne (View of the town from the mountain)

Looking down over a huge city from a nearby hill/mountain: it seems so far away, but is still swarming with life. It seems to grow and grow...into infinity.

III. Stuck in the Past

IV. Tsukainasai! Keshinasai! (Switch on! Switch off!)

It seems like everything has switches and buttons nowadays. Remote controls, ipods, laptops, mobile phones... this is a celebratory/cautionary dance on the mechanisation of modern life.

V. Lieu Common (Familiar situation)

Unfortunately falling into a vicious circle of dead-end jobs and fading hopes is a familiar situation all over the world…

VI. Dreaming at the Supermarket Check-out

 

This set of pieces were commissioned by juice with the financial support of the PRS Foundation for New Music (PRSF), the UK’s largest funder for new music of any genre.

First performed by Juice Vocal Ensemble on 6th April 2009 at the Wigmore Hall, London.