CYGNUS - Electric Swan Ensemble

Do androids dream of electric sheep?
We don’t know, but we dreamed of electric swans! 

CYGNUS is a poetic live installation on the water in which 12 life-size swans come together for a mysterious nightly roundelay.

The birds are illuminated from the inside, gliding on the surface like ghosts and changing colours to the rhythm of the etheral music that is coming from within their bodies.

CYGNUS is a mind boggling journey into the ‘uncanny valley’, a hypnotic experience that makes you look twice and raises interesting questions: Will we sustain nature or will future generations strive to create their own digital critters? Will ‘form follows function’ be the only prerogative in this now dawning age of robots? Or can romanticism find its place in this future too? 

In partnership with Quays Culture, Submerge commissioned a new soundtrack for CYGNUS by multi-disciplinary artist Anil Sebastian. Anil is a member of Icelandic band Hrím and the co-founder and director of London Contemporary Voices. Known for their unique voice and choral collaborations, they have worked with Alt-J, Manu Delago & Imogen Heap, as well as contributing three tracks to legendary Björk producer Guy Sigsworth’s debut album Stet. For Swan Songs, Anil has created a unique sound world that is cinematic yet unpredictable, using extended vocal techniques with AI-app “trAnSition” built in partnership with Japanese coder and synthesist Cherif Hashizume. Swan Songs will be performed live as part of the Lightwaves launch.