Dolphins into the Future
Bio
Lieven Martens (°1981, Turnhout - Belgium)
… lives.
… is a composer and observer.
… makes a conceptual form of music that is painted with electronic, acoustic and concrete sounds. The works are almost like narrative stills.
… presents mainly music albums and live concerts. Yet also co-wrote an operetta; and wrote music for carillon, for a commercial, for a few films, art installations.
… recently collaborated with Christina Vantzou, Matthew Sage, and Sugai Ken.
… never submitted his work for an art prize, so didn’t won any. But a few years back received a grant from the Flemish Department of Culture.
… runs Edições CN, a private press that is praised for its catalogue of original works by a list of internationally acclaimed artists.
… hosts an irregular radio show on We Are Various radio in Antwerp (previous programs for Lyl Radio, and Radio Centraal).
> Lieven Martens Onesheet PDF
> Lieven Martens Artistic CV PDF
Press Quotes
Lieven Martens is well known for his work as Dolphins into the Future in which he was a leading figure in the noise boom of the early 2000s and was associated with Exotica using early synth and electronic music and new age influences. I hope we will hear a lot more of his music on UK Radio in the ensuing years. He really is a major talent. BBC Radio 3
Field recordings are often more about listening than recording, and nobody listens like Lieven Martens. As Dolphins Into The Future, he blended new age, early synthesizer music and tropical field recordings making one-of-a-kind soundscapes during the noise boom of the mid-2000s. Now, under his own name, his music is even more poetic. FACT
And that’s part of the allure and brilliance of his work here. “The Habu” could be a soundtrack to any number of genres and fit in just fine. Lieven Martens work continues to be an important touchstone and with “The Habu”, he shows there’s so much more to come. Foxy Digitalis
'Idylls' is a stunning work of art, and one that solidifies Lieven Martens Moana's place as one of the most important and innovative musicians working today. Highly recommended for anyone who loves adventurous music that challenges expectations and expands the boundaries of what's possible. The Quietus
Martens’ (...) cast a blissful spell over a late afternoon crowd in the chandelier-encrusted environs of the Teatro Micaelense. Cushions were scattered across the floor and many attendees kept their eyes shut throughout Martens’ bizarro set of sonic curios. Weaving found sounds and field recordings – from birdsong to crashing waves – into his synthscapes, Martens tuned into the island’s wild natural frequencies, in spite of his performing inside a formal theater. FACT
Selected Discography
Katharina AW with Miaux and Luc Dockx (Edições CN, BE 2023)
Riding Fences with Matthew Sage (Edições CN, BE 2022)
Serrisme with Christina Vantzou & Jan Matthé (Edições CN, BE 2021)
The Habu (Poole Music, USA 2021)
KAGIROI with Sugai Ken (Edições CN, BE 2021)
Lips with Roman Hiele (Ultra Eczema, BE 2018)
Three Amazonian Essays (EM Records, JP 2018)
Idylls (Pacific City Sound Visions, USA 2017)
Songs Of Gold, Incandescent (Edições CN, BE 2015)
Music from the Guardhouse (Kraak, BE 2013)
Canto Arquipélago (Underwater Peoples, USA 2012)
Eternal Landscapes with Ada Van Hoorebeke (Aguirre, BE 2011)
Ke Ala Ke Kua (Kraak, BE 2010)
The Music Of Belief (Release The Bats, SE 2010)
On Sea-Faring Isolation (Not Not Fun, BE 2009)
These albums were reviewed in
The Wire, Foxy Digitalis, Fact, Tiny Mix Tapes, Gonzo (Circus), Humo, The Quietus, Pitchfork, ...
Lieven Martens toured in
Europe, North America, Mexico, Japan, Australia & New Zealand
He performed at
Centre Pompidou Paris, ISSUE Project Room New York, Café OTO London, Oshiai Soup Tokyo, Aural Mexico City, WWW Tokyo, Blä Oslo, AB Brussels, Theater Aan Zee Oostende, Bozar Brussels, Wiels Brussels, Fylkingen Stockholm, ZDB Lisbon, Kraakfestival Hasselt, Aalst and Brussels, ...