Renowned for their expansive sound and prolific collaborations, the 1990s saw Brisbane come to know Topology both through their original compositions as well as their adventurous re-imaginings of popular music. Topology's energetic performances decimated traditional musical boundaries, injecting elements of chamber music, pop, jazz, electronica, orchestral and progressive rock into their distinctive sound. Performing in small bars, backyards and lounge rooms, the quintet flourished in the Brisbane underground new music scene of 1997.
Fourteen album releases, countless new works and two decades worth of national and international touring later, including their recent 2017 season at the Lincoln Center in New York City with Dead Puppet Society (see some NYC snaps here), Topology continue to operate at the forefront of contemporary Australian musicality.
Packaging an illustrious 20 year repertoire into a single album was an ambitious venture, but TWENTY delivers. The compilation meditatively traverses the last, or rather, the first 20 years of the Brisbane quintet's career, with each of their previous releases - save for their latest 2017 release Tortured Remixes – represented in the double disk album.
Artistic Director and composer Robert Davidson explains, "We started Topology out of friendship, and it's been great to maintain that over twenty years. There are things you can only do after such a long and consistent time together, after playing so many hours of music, that would not be possible any other way – a cohesion, understanding and blend that is really magic." Topology composer Bernard Hoey adds, "I'm incredibly grateful for all the wonderful people we've met along the way, and those with whom we've collaborated, as we have enjoyed this incredible journey all together."
Mirroring the band's disregard for generic forms and styles, the tracks on TWENTY don't adhere to chronological order. Instead, the track list maps a journey of Topology and fans' favourite 20 tracks.
The group's three composers (John Babbage, Robert Davidson and Bernard Hoey) and their distinctive styles are well represented, with some personal histories woven into the 20-year tale TWENTY tells. The album features some of their favourite collaborations, as well as pieces that were dug up from the archives, which the band hasn't performed since their release.
It includes an unreleased live recording of "Lost At Sea" performed with Expressions Dance Company's R&J show in 2011, as well as the first physical release of "Evolution".
In TWENTY, the musical masterminds reflect on their creative journey thus far, from cross-genre experimentation to innovation in speech melody, composing for dance, puppetry and theatre to developing their own theatrical performance modes. Topology will be celebrating this milestone over two evenings in December - one decade of music packed into each night (with a few surprise guest appearances) at The Old Museum in Brisbane.
Saturday 2 December, 7.30pm (1997-2007)
Saturday 9 December, 7.30pm (2008-2017)
The Old Museum, 480 Gregory Tce Bowen Hills
Tickets: Single show $25 -30 | Season Pass: $40-55
Tickets Here
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