Boi Akih Entangled & Voices of the Moluccas

Double concert of dynamic duo and polyphonic collective around Moluccan singing.

Singer Monica Akihary and guitarist and composer Niels Brouwer have been exploring new paths together as Boi Akih since 1997. They are always searching for new forms, where catchy songs seamlessly transition into free improvisation. Entangled (recently released on Enja Records), their eleventh album, revolves around the big picture: the interdependence of humans and nature and the fragility of that relationship. The music freely draws from many musical styles but always arises in the moment. It is a tension between composition and improvisation, where spontaneity provides urgency and intensity, and an underlying structure offers support.

The second part of the evening focuses on Voices of the Moluccas, a new project by Akihary and Brouwer in a larger ensemble. The starting point is the Lagu Lagu repertoire: centuries-old Moluccan singing, recorded in field recordings from 1948 and reshaped with the energy of today. Together with vocalists Julya Lo’ko and Maria Lekranty, pianist Mark Milan, bassist David de Marez Oyens, and drummer Viqtor Lekranty, a collective sound emerges between tradition, jazz, and free improvisation. The musicians share a long history, including in the Moluccan Moods Orchestra, and that connection is audible: sharp listening, free, and full of confidence.

Monica Akihary vocals, bass kalimba, seashell, electroacoustic sounds, Niels Brouwer seven-string classical guitar, analog synth, electroacoustic sounds, Maria Lekranty vocals, Julya Lo’ko vocals, Mark Milan keyboards, David de Marez Oyens bass, Viqtor LeKranty drums