Experimental Folk Artist Lili Refrain Releases The MANA Album!
Lili Refrain’s newest LP MANA lives up to its title. A combination of Anna Von Hausswolff and
Burning World-era Swans, following the words of Walter Hoeijmakers, the founder of Roadburn
Festival.
Each track is multifaceted and they all have a heft to them, a weight that translates well to
Refrain’s multi-instrumentalist abilities. Commenting on the nature of recording process Lili
states: “Mana is an album totally different from anything I’ve ever done before. I felt the need to
experiment with the use of new instruments and take a totally new path. Compared to my
previous album MANA is the most ritual in some ways”.
Refrain comments onthe origin of the title saying: “It means ‘life force’, power that comes from
within and is dedicated to those who have found themselves consciously facing a journey,
without knowing where it would have arrived or even if it would have survived.”
Using very few guitars, Lili Refrain has not only distanced herself from her comfort zone but also
created a danceable feel focusing on arrangements and vocal techniques. However, the work on
background sounds was very deliberate , as Lili notices:
“Stefano Morabito, the engineer and the owner of “16th Cellar Studio” in Rome welcomed me in
his studio and had been following me throughout the production.”
“Spontaneous” is probably the best description of creating the record that became MANA.
“I felt the need to experiment.” – says Lili about the current evolutions and changes in her “inner
gaze”.
Starting with Ichor , Sangoma and Mami Wata, Lili Refrain has been going down the path of
rediscovering herself as an artist and performer. Combining both heavy synths sounds and
operatic heights. Pairing Taiko drum sounds of Mami Wata with her trilling and whispering,
Lili Refrain manages to create a chanting and ritualistic experience.
Lili Refrain will be performing MANA in its entirety on April, 21st at Roadburn festival
followed by an extensive European tour that would include performances at Hellfest (FR), Rock in
Burlon (FR), AMFest (SP)and DUNK! Fest (BE).
“I am very honored to take part in one of the most important festivals in Europe and present my
album in absolute preview right there is a supreme joy for me! I’m preparing a very special set for
this event and can’t wait to be there!”
BIOGRAPHY:
An Italian-born solo artist, Lili Refrain is what some would call a virtuoso. Combining repetitions of
elements of folk, metal, blues, rock, and lyrical opera Refrain create a unique and textured brand of
psychedelia. With the addition of percussion and synth, Lili creates a completely immersive and
ritualistic experience where her listeners get completely wrapped up in the music. Lili has self
produced four albums that received acclaim from various media outlets, her self-titled, “Lili Refrain” in 2007, “9” in 2010, “KAWAX” in 2013, and “ULU” in 2020 In recent years Lili has been a prolific performer, playing hundreds of shows across Europe. Lili Refrain will be performing her newest album, “MANA” in its entirety at Roadburn Festival on April 21, 2022 Returning fans will find echoes of Lili Refrain’s past albums morphed into something new in her ever-evolving sonic palette.
Lili Refrain’s upcoming tour would include the following dates:
04.06 | Drizzly Grizzly | Gdansk, PL *
04.07 | Hydrozagadka | Warsaw, PL *
04.08 | Zascianek | Krakow, PL *
04.09 | Instant | Budapest, HU *
04.10 | Escape | Vienna, AT *
04.11 | Modra Vopice | Prague, CZ *
04.12 | Moritzbastei | Leipzig, DE *
04.13 | Cassiopeia | Berlin, DE *
04.14 | Stengade | Copenhagen, DK *
04.15 | MS Stubnitz | Hamburg, DE *
04.16 | Club Subway | Cologne, DE*
04.17 | Nef Des Dominicains | Guebwiller, FR*
04.21 | Roadburn Festival | Tilburg, NL
04.22 | Der Kult, Mannheim DE
04.23 | Trafo | Jena, DE
04.29 | Ziggy | Torino, IT
05.13 | Centrale 66 | Modena, IT
05.14 | Circolo Gagarin | Busto Arsizio, IT
05.20 | Sonic Rites | Helsinki, FIN
05.26 | Dunk! Festival | Ghent, BE
06.23 | Hellfest | Clisson, FR
06.26 | Rock in Bourlon | Bourlon ,FR
07.09 | MammothFest, Hills of Akontisma
08.15 | United Arts Festival | Gdansk, PL
08.19 | Fekete Zaj Festival | Budapest, HU
09.16 | Circolo Dev | Bologna, IT
09.17 | Bocciodromo | Vicenza, IT
09.18 | Bloom | Mezzago, IT
09.29 | Largo Venue | Rome, IT
10.07 | AMFest | Barcelona, ES
+more to come
Pre-order of MANA at Bandcamp: https://lilirefrain.bandcamp.com/album/mana
Label Subsound Records: https://www.subsoundrecords.it/
Information:
