NMC Guest Playlist #5: Rakhi Singh

2nd December 2021

Playlists NMC Recordings

On the hunt for new listening material? Looking to discover your new musical obsession? Look no further than NMC's Guest Playlist series. Featuring a broad range of curators who we invite to share the music they've been listening to recently, with selectors ranging from musicians to artists to presenters to critics and beyond, you can always be sure of an interesting and eclectic mix.

For the fifth instalment of the series we're thrilled to share a playlist curated by violinist, collaborator, composer, and musical director/co-founder of Manchester Collective, Rakhi Singh. Rakhi's selections reflect her position as a champion of experimental, multi-disciplinary, collaborative approaches to performance and programming.

György Ligeti: Fanfares Piano
I keep coming back to these ligeti pieces, each time hearing more and more, there’s so much groove in this one.
Clark: Herzog
I first met Chris a few years ago and we’ve been working together ever since. The sound worlds and energy flows he creates are amazing, plus he’s a very open-minded musician and we discuss all sorts.
David Fennesy: Hirta Rounds
Part of how I process music is very spatial and 3-dimensionally, Its a difficult thing to try articulate, so apologies for that, but it’s a very physical feeling and it’s about energy flow and the manipulation of time and sound waves. I find Dave’s piece to be really sensitive and it places me in outer space rather than with my feet firmly on the ground.
Larry Goves: distant airports
There’s something meditative and eerie about this track for me. The resonance of the constant chord switches between foreground and background transport me to a really interesting place. Fascinating writing.
Cassandra Miller: Warblework, Swainsong's Thrush
I first came across Cassandra Miller’s work at a gig at Tate Modern. I love her string writing and look forward to the day I can play some of her works.
Edmund Finnis: The Centre is Everywhere
Manchester Collective, which I’m music director of, commissioned this work from Ed for 12 solo strings. Much like the Fennessy, it moves me around space and time and it’s an utter delight to play.
Tigran Hamasyan: New Baroque 1
I love how this feels so simple yet is so powerful, I know that is the most difficult thing to achieve sometimes.
Oliver Coates: Caregiver part 5 (money)
I have known Olly for many years and really admire his musicianship. I first heard this album whilst I was on a long a drive and I distinctly recall the feeling of ecstasy that I feel listening to this. Strange experience to have on the M1!
Chris Watson: Embelton Rookery
Why not listen to some Rooks for 5 minutes? I sometimes stick Chris Watson on when I’m travelling and it eases both body and soul and takes you out of the mundanity of commuting.
Philip Glass: Company I & Company II performed by Manchester Collective
This was the first thing we recorded after lockdown and I feel like you can sense that trepidation in the recording. Philip’s music often looks very simple on the page but having worked with him on a premiere in Manchester International Festival, I realised there is a lot of freedom in how one interprets his music, he expects us to do that. It’s very precious working with composers and getting these insights that are never usually written down.
Adult Jazz: Springful
The lead singer Harry is a friend of my partner and I love being introduced to music this way. He’s got a really soulful voice and the mixture of songwriting and electronics tells an interesting story to me.
Picforth & Le Strange Viols: In nomine à 5
This music is both old and new. Perfect!
Julia Wolfe & Sean Shibe: LAD: III. The Fast Melody
I remember the first time I heard this, I lay down on the floor and just absorbed this incredible wall of sound for 17minutes. Here is the 3rd movement but I’d recommend experiencing the whole thing. It’s immense.
Olivia Chaney/Henry Purcell: There’s Not a Swain
I love how Olivia Chaney reimagines baroque works, she has such a soulful voice and is a childhood school friend of mine. We shared a room together in our 6th form at Chetham’s School of Music and I’ve loved seeing the way she has forged her own path in the music world.
Oliver Leith: Full like drips from Honey Siren
I’m a huge fan of Oliver Leith and love the way playing his music makes me feel. Exploring quartertones and different resonances and pitch bending has a real physical effect on me, it makes my body resonate in a different way which is immensely satisfying.
CAN: Vitamin C
Suzy Willson from the Clod Ensemble introduced me it CAN - it was one of the warms ups in one of her sessions in which we usually end up dancing around the room in some form or another. I think this track came on in one of those sessions and it was a lot of fun.