Synthese x AMME

Synthese is a musical experience where you can explore material and immaterial heritage at unconventional venues in Utrecht. On 27 March, Synthese joins forces with AMME (Association Marocaine de Musique Electronique), an association that supports, promotes and develops the electronic music scene in Morocco.

Earlier this year, Synthese and AMME hosted a residency and exchange between Morocco and The Netherlands exploring Hmadcha Sufi rituals. Tonight, The night will be kicked off with a brand-new performance as a result of the residency, followed by a club-night with some of the finest DJ’s of the Netherlands.

Elias Mazian (dj)
DJ, producer and singer Elias Mazian is a firm fixture of the club circuit in Amsterdam – and beyond. His DJ sets are never predictable, with house music forming a base to deviate from into all kinds of sounds. The former Trouw and De School resident grew up dancing in the living room with his brother in a highly multicultural part of Amersfoort. As a fourth generation Moroccan boy, he felt displaced when he ended up in a very white school, where his otherness was frequently pointed out. This feeling returned when he entered the club scene of Amsterdam, though he was thrilled to have finally found a place where people were passionate about the same things he was. The recent shift towards a more inclusive dance floor, where he might not be the only person at the party to look like him, is a welcome one.

Mary Lake (dj)
Mary Lake’s sound merges driving techno with textural and emotional undercurrents. Shaped by an upbringing across Algeria, France, and the Netherlands, her musical identity is informed by cultural multiplicity and a deep sensitivity to atmosphere, rhythm, and presence. In her sets, she shapes atmosphere and movement with deliberate pacing and emotional clarity, creating an experience that is both physical and deeply attentive. A resident at Club RAUM/Spielraum and a regular at Berghain, she has developed a storytelling approach to DJing defined by fluidity, focus, and instinct. Her live work, presented at STOOR, Dekmantel and Positive Education, reflects a continuously evolving approach to sound.

Residency: Mohamed Said, Prophän & Cengiz Arslanpay (live)
Mohamed Said, Prophän and Cengiz Arslanpay present a new performance as the result of their residency exploring Hmadcha Sufi Rituals. The Hmadcha are a Moroccan Sufi brotherhood founded in the 17th century by the mystic Sidi Ali Ben Hamdouch. They are known for their intense spiritual practices in which they combine music, trance, and ritual healing. Their ceremonies often involve hypnotic drumming, chanting, and ecstatic bodily movement.

Anushka Chkheidze (live)
The young Georgian Utrecht-based Anushka Chkheidze is one of the promising talents far beyond the country’s borders. Growing up in the small village of Kharagauli, she began singing in the choir at the age of 11. She describes the time spent there as magical and believes her music is strongly influenced by those childhood years. In her work she bridges the sonic worlds of that childhood with the electronic sounds of the dancefloor.