Julian Sartorius

Biography

Drummer, percussionist and artist Julian Sartorius forms sounds into previously unseen shapes. His precise and multi-layered rhythmical patterns are keen excursions into the hidden tones of found objects and prepared instruments, bridging the gap between organic timbres and the vocabulary of (experimental) electronic music. Julian Sartorius has released numerous solo albums, creates audiovisual art works, collaborates with musicians, writers and artists and performs live in intimate venues and on festival stages.

Trained at the Jazz schools in Berne and Lucerne by instrumentalists like Fabian Kuratli, Pierre Favre and Norbert Pfammatter, Julian Sartorius soon developed a singular musical approach. Being interested in fine-scaled variations, tension and release, mass and vibrancy, he creates projects like the 12-LP-box set «Beat Diary» (Everest Records, 2012), consisting of 365 beat tracks and an accompanying photo book; the 8-seconds loop series «Morphblog» (since 2013); or «Depot», an audiovisual installation for 16 loudspeakers and 16 screens that was shown at Kunstmuseum Thun. For his album «Hidden Tracks: Basel – Genève» (Everest Records, 2017), Julian hiked over 200 km with his drum sticks and recording equipment, playing and recording a multitude of sounds and textures on objects found on the journey. In 2021 his concept album 'Locked Grooves' was released on -OUS Records, in 2022 he released the album 'Mux' on the Canadian label Marionette.

In recent years, Julian Sartorius has collaborated with numerous musicians including Matthew Herbert, Sophie Hunger, Sylvie Courvoisier, Gyda Valtysdottir and Shahzad Ismaily. His remarkable percussion work is featured on albums of Kae Tempest and James Zoo.

Julian Sartorius has toured and performed live in North and South America, Asia and in Europe sharing the bill with artists like Marc Ribot, Deerhoof, Faust, Jaki Liebezeit and Arto Lindsay.