Nathaniel describes himself as ‘perpetually orbiting music and sound’. With an expansive practice which incorporates him in a myriad of roles including researcher, instrument maker, surround sound designer, curator, sonic artist, folk singer and archive digger, it’s not surprising he simplifies it down to ‘composer’ to encompass them all.
From the psychic wranglings of Venice’s most revered exorcist set against ISIS’s beguiling Mashids (Mindful Hands 2016) to the forgotten legacy of an aviation legend whilst exploring a fusion of tradition musics with a group of Ex- Gurkha musicians from Nepal (Rushmoor Epics 2017), Mann’s music has led him through a variety of projects.
His music does not sit within one tradition, style or genre but goes between many, probing history, politics and audio culture along the way. Each performance is bespoke, crafted towards its setting where it adapts for each specific invitation. Recently Nathaniel has been learning first-hand from the ritual and music making practices of the Kuikuro Indigenous communities (Mato Grosso, Brazil) which he would hope to pursue further should he win the Arts Foundation Award.