With Plant, Nynke is introducing a Slow Album Release. She is allowing her new album to grow over the period of a year, releasing the songs one by one – each accompanied by a podcast that deals with the theme of the song in question. For these podcasts, Nynke and radio-and-podcast-maker Lex Bohlmeijer are interviewing scientists, philosophers and performing artists who inspire Nynke.
Plant is a compelling musical journey. Singer Nynke Laverman inhabits the whisper register of her voice, alternating between vulnerable, ethereal soundscapes and beats and spoken word. Sytze Pruiksma’s muted piano sounds and explosive, volcanic drum sessions effortlessly draw you into the cinematic, surreal worlds of video artist Douwe Dijkstra. Paradoxically, it is by doing less and singing more softly that Nynke’s appeal comes across louder than ever: who do we want to be as people?
Nynke: “I wonder why we actually make a distinction between ‘man’ and ‘nature’. When I was with the Nomads in Mongolia I saw how things can be different, and my work has been about this ever since. Plant is a hopeful protest that focuses on how we can transform our way of thinking; it is about changing oneself from within. Do we dare to leave well-trodden paths, break out of familiar patterns and make room for silence? Do we dare not know?”
‘To not get lost in the future, you must know your past, right?’
Plant is an album, with an accompanying live performance and a series of podcasts. Since November 2020, Nynke has been allowing the songs to take root with her listeners one by one through a Slow Album Release. There are eleven new songs and eleven podcasts with special guests, including environmental philosopher Matthijs Schouten, comedian Jochem Myjer and thinker Roman Krznaric. Plant will continue to grow until September 2021, and will then emerge on vinyl and CD. On 15th October Plant will premiere at DeLaMar theatre in Amsterdam.
Credits
Lyrics: Nynke Laverman | Music: Sytze Pruiksma & Nynke Laverman | Video: Douwe Dijkstra | Dance: Dunja Jocic | Theatre images: Ascon de Nijs | Costumes: Dieuweke van Reij | Final directing: Koos Terpstra | Sound: Bo Bruijs | Lighting: Patrick Kramer | Video operator: Remko Smids | With thanks to: Guy Weizman
Plant was created with financial support from: Provincie Fryslân, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, BankGiro Loterij, Fonds Podiumkunsten, BNG Cultuurfonds, De Lawei, Leeuwarden-Fryslân 2028 and Explore the North.
