Joana Gama, Luís Fernandes - There's no knowing (2022)

Starting with an open dialogue seems like a good way to approach a collaboration. Almost a decade ago, that’s how Joana Gama (piano) and Luís Fernandes (electronics) started to work together, and both quickly understood that it was an ideal moment to develop and explore new paths in their music. “There’s no knowing” is their fifth album, 50 minute piece in which the two artists' have a dialogue while interacting with the void and silence around them.

The origin of this work explains the frequent tension in this piece; Invited by Nuno M. Cardoso to compose the soundtrack for a TV series, “Cassandra”, Joana and Luís found themselves with the material and inspiration to extend this work into a long piece. At times, “There’s no knowing” feels like a tense and knife cutting soundtrack to a thriller. Joana’s tempo adds to a well-architected sound-design by Luís that pushes the boundaries of what the duo can achieve. The ambition, always present in their music, provides a fascinating backdrop - the focus in the moment coupled with the feeling of latent anxiety pushing each other to their limits.That tremendous momentum can be felt while listening to any of their records. As they push each other, we are invited to other realms of contemporary electronics and modern classical. “There’s no knowing” is their finest to date. But that’s no surprise, their work is based on that continuous progression.