Evita Manji cuts a solitary but striking figure, standing at the microphone in the Phoenix chamber.
At first only accompanied by a mournful, descending synth line, their roboticised vocals evoke a languid isolation, faintly imagining the possibility freedom from a material world. That’s before the tempo accelerates and Manji’s precisely deconstructed club production takes hold, seemingly sending the room into a cosmic spin. Then, their autotuned vocals soar over abrasive sine waves.
Under the visionary direction of filmmaker and writer Hyun Lee, this sparse but exquisite document recasts Phoenix’s interior structure as a stellar backdrop to Manji’s performance, shifting dimensions much like the Athenian producer’s intricate sound design.
Masterfully photographed by Dimitri Zaunders, who engages enchanting (and at times, purposefully disorientating) tilt-shifting techniques, the image seems to contort in time with the shape-shifting composition itself. Manji is dressed by Sydney-based designer HALUMINOUS.
Evita Manji’s debut record Spandrel?, on which “XYZ/Labyrinth” features, was released via pioneering Berlin electronic label PAN in 2023.
Director: Hyun Lee
Producers: Angus Hunt & Josh Milch
Cinematographer: Dimitri Zaunders
1st AC: Max Enright
Lighting Operator: Calum Young
Recording Engineer: Felix Abrahams
Mix Engineer: Nathan Moas
Costume Design: Haluminous
Stylist: Hannah Kim
Production Coordinator: Eric-Michael Hoenig
Stills: Ruby Boland
Executive Producers: Judith Neilson & Beau Neilson
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Phoenix Central Park is Sydney’s newest contemporary performance space and gallery promoting genuine artistic risk-taking and unique collaborations that are as bold as the building’s multi-award-winning architecture.
As the singular vision of philanthropist Judith Neilson AM, well-known as the founder and owner of Sydney’s prized White Rabbit Gallery, Phoenix serves as a creative beacon for adventurous artists and audiences alike.
Enter a ticket ballot at phoenixcentralpark.com.au/
Live at Phoenix is a live performance film series by Phoenix Central Park capturing stellar performances by exceptional artists. Running in parallel to Phoenix Central Park’s agenda-setting weekly free concerts, the series gives as much voice to the creatives behind the camera as it does the performers themselves. Each episode is a unique pairing of musician and filmmaker, resulting in an elevated performance inspired by the sculptural surrounds of The Nest. Live at Phoenix has featured Kelly Lee Owens, Liars, Superorganism, Genesis Owusu, EXEK, Jonti, IJALE, e4444e, Aphir, among many others.
Watch more episodes of #LiveatPhoenix here:
• Live at Phoenix
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Find Evita Manji on:
Instagram: / evitamanji
Twitter: evitamanji?lang=en
Resident Advisor: ra.co/dj/evitamanji
Bandcamp: evitamanji.bandcamp.com/
Find us on:
Instagram: / phoenixcentralpark
Facebook: / phoenixcentralpark
Twitter: / phxcpark
TikTok: / phoenixcentralpark