For this year’s third and final OPTICAL showcase, we present an eclectic program representing three international electronic music artists bridging the gap between techno, ambient, visual art and experimental music traditions.

Opening the showcase, we introduce the works of Australian provocateur sanso-xtro (type), an artist whose influences are as far-reaching as her musical ambition, with well-informed references from avant-jazz, blues and experimental electronic works. Inspired by her antipodean background, marsupials, sunrise, sunset, heatwaves and also from a life-changing move to British shores, her sound is deeply reflective and unashamedly visual.

Next up, we proudly host Canadian musician and sound artist Tim Hecker, a Decibel alumni whose 2006 performance is one of our ambient highlights to date. Hecker has produced a range of audio works for over a half dozen labels, most notably Chicago’s Kranky and Germany’s Mille Plateaux. His works have been described as “structured ambient”, “tectonic color plates” and “cathedral electronic music”. His focus on exploring the intersection of noise, dissonance and melody fosters an approach to song-craft that is both physical and emotive.

Closing the night is Ghostly International’s Tycho, debuting his new A/V set in the Pacific Northwest with a four-piece band. Tycho, the music project of San Francisco artist and producer Scott Hansen, blends swirling melodies into vaguely triumphant arcs that crisscross between stuttering beats and vocal samples. Known in the design world as ISO50, Hansen is famed for his bucolic, sun-drenched design style, which serves as a backdrop and mirror for his musical output. Beginning his electronic-music career with 2002’s The Science of Patterns EP, which was followed in 2004 by his first full length, Sunrise Projector, critical acclaim continued in 2006 with the release of Past Is Prologue. Tycho is a longtime Decibel favorite, having the distinction of two sold out shows at Decibel (2008 and 2009, respectively) under his belt.

Lastly, Lillevan will be performing as a live video artist with Tim Hecker. Lillevan is an animation, video and media artist based in Berlin and is perhaps best known as founding member of the visual / music group Rechenzentrum (Mille Plateaux/Shitkatapult). As a video artist, Lillevan recontextualizes, combines and politicizes existing film images and fragments.

Update: Moritz von Oswald Trio and Vladislav Delay have canceled their entire tour, which includes Decibel Festival.  For a refund please contact The Triple Door at 206.838.4333. We are working on a reschedule for the Spring of 2011.