A Universe of Improvisation Beyond Borders: Elf Traps at Paribu Art on February 27.
Elf Traps, the new project of Manchester-based musicians Rob Turner (ex–GoGo Penguin) and Liviu Gheorghe (ex–Matthew Halsall), shaped by creative restlessness and deep friendship. After years in the established structures of the music world, the duo felt the need to place their instincts ahead of expectations. They decided to step away from noise and habits to build everything from scratch.
At the start, they had no plans, no specific goals. Just to play together... This simple impulse quickly transformed into something much deeper: a hybrid system relying entirely on improvisation, developing through acoustic drums, analog synthesizers, and real-time laptop interaction. An unstructured, live, chaotic yet distinct sonic space.
They hadn't even considered whether they would be listeners of this music at first. However, they began sharing this momentary state of creation over time — with friends, in basements, at warehouse parties, and in Manchester’s DIY spaces. The reaction was powerful. Those sharing the same state of mind began gathering around them. Graham Massey, a legend of 808 State, and instrument designer Piotr Raczyński (Polyend) were among the first to discover the project; both encouraged the duo to remain faithful to their impulses.
The sound of Elf Traps is a borderless composition where spiritual jazz, glitch electronics, jungle, ambient, and more intertwine. It carries a wide influence, ranging from Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid to Squarepusher, from Buddhism to Star Trek, and from the organic forms of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Turner’s glitch-textured, iconic drum approach meets Gheorghe’s layered and expanding synth textures, creating a fresh, immersive soundscape.
Building their own path quietly underground, Elf Traps is now preparing to share a snapshot of this journey with listeners with the release of their first EPs. This music does not rely on nostalgia or genres; it strips everything back and concerns itself with trusting the process itself.
This gathering at Paribu Art on February 27 invites you to a performance where two musicians meet in a single creative conversation, filled with possibilities.
