What to See at Somerset House Studios’ Assembly This Month

Why It Matters

The series highlights London’s cutting‑edge sonic research, offering artists a platform to test new forms that blur festival and exhibition boundaries, and signals growing institutional support for experimental sound practices.

Key Takeaways

• Assembly returns March 26‑28 with experimental sound works
• Ellen Arkbro premieres crumhorn‑organ piece from 2025 residency
• Laurel Halo’s “Sour Loop” explores public sound systems
• felicita’s “czysta forma” merges electronic score with chamber ensemble
• Mark Fell collaborates with Iranian percussionist Mohammad Reza Mortazavi

Pulse Analysis

The Assembly program at Somerset House Studios continues a tradition established in 2018, positioning the venue as a crucible for avant‑garde sonic exploration. By alternating between performances, premieres, installations, and talks, the series bridges the gap between conventional festivals and museum exhibitions, attracting a niche yet growing audience of sound artists, technologists, and cultural curators. This hybrid format not only amplifies experimental practices but also reinforces London’s reputation as a global hub for interdisciplinary art.

Deep listening anchors the opening night, with Ellen Arkbro’s crumhorn‑organ work and Raheel Khan’s brass‑synthesis score foregrounding historical acoustic cues in contemporary contexts. Laurel Halo’s “Sour Loop” installation interrogates everyday auditory environments—PA announcements, muzak, anti‑loitering systems—revealing how sound shapes public perception. Friday’s lineup pushes improvisation further: felicita’s “czysta forma” translates a Polish concept of pure form into a live chamber setting, while Hannan Jones and Samir Kennedy blend movement, looping tape, and real‑time capture, exemplifying the series’ commitment to live sound processes.

Beyond artistic merit, Assembly signals a broader market shift toward immersive, experimental experiences that command institutional backing and ticketed attendance. The inclusion of interdisciplinary artists like Jasleen Kaur, Onyeka Igwe, and Mark Fell underscores a growing appetite for cross‑cultural collaborations that fuse traditional instruments with electronic media. As audiences seek deeper engagement with sound, programs like Assembly provide a scalable model for other cultural institutions aiming to diversify their offerings while fostering innovative research in acoustic art.