Desert Bloom^CA/QC

With the quiet intensity of a summer thunderstorm, Desert Bloom translates the soundscapes of the natural world through a cascading electronic palette. Rachel Nam’s musical visions are powerful in their restraint, delivered through heartfelt piano tones and syncopated percussive patterns that feel as if they’re being whispered into your ear.

Born on the West Coast of Canada, Nam’s musical passions were split between classical piano and electronic music. A fascination with the composition of living things led her to Montréal to obtain a degree in biology, where she played bass in three-piece, plushcore synth-pop group MagicPerm. Beginning as an exercise in self-teaching electronic music, Nam developed the Desert Bloom moniker, pulling inspiration from how wildflowers can emerge in Death Valley National Park, despite some of the harshest and desolate climate conditions imaginable. That same vibrant, flourishing energy is present in every note of Nam’s debut solo EP1 cassette, where her effervescent voice nestles itself into a tapestry of hallucinatory dream-pop. Following a split with fellow Montréal labelmate Alexia Avina and some collaborations in Nick Schofield’s Ambient Ensemble II, latest offering DB showcases Nam’s intricate knack for building rapid-fire percussive elements into her intricate rhythms, adding a layer of urgency to her compositions.

For her debut at MUTEK, Desert Bloom will meld piano with vibrating, warm electronics, submerging contemporary classical motifs into the depths of her ambient techno. With lush productions that set down roots in unexpected places, Nam’s cacophony of sounds unfurl and blossom with heart-wrenching tenacity.

Appears as part of Amplify.
Amplify is led by the British Council, MUTEK and Somerset House Studios, with the support of Canada Council for the Arts.