River Styx (musician)
Encyclopedia
Hicham Bensassi also known by his stage name
"River Styx", is a British songwriter, rap poet, composer and music producer whose work includes music on the satirical BBC
animated series Monkey Dust
in 2003, remixes including Howard Marks
and The Mystery School Ensemble in 2005, also most recently a collaboration with playwright, publisher and spoken word artist Lee Harris
released on Genepool/Universal Music Group
in 2009 the album Lee Harris meets River Styx - Angel Headed Hip Hop (Album)
. The Portobello Film Festival described him as "Musician & rap poet River Styx was brought up in Ladbroke Grove, West London and has been on a weird and wonderful musical journey ever since, through folk tinged broken beat, Experimental Hip hop, electronica and anywhere in-between".
In interviews River Styx has cited a variety of personal musical influences, including band The Pixies, Radiohead
, experimental singer & composer Bjork
, Hip Hop artist Madlib
, jazz saxophonist and composer Charlie Parker
and poet songwriter Bob Dylan
.
. River Styx is working on a new untitled album with various musicians.
An acoustic version of the song Sheffield/Tunis and remixes of the song Carried away were included on the podcast series on New Antique Records
is an experimental music collective founded by River Styx in 2009,
among other things, writing and performing scores for various films.
and River Styx had both performed separately. A few years later River Styx invited Lee to record something for a project he was working on and quite organically the album Lee Harris meets River Styx - Angel Headed Hip Hop (Album)
was born. They brought in special Guests such as writer Brian Barritt, rapper JC001 and River Styx wrote the music, performed vocally on four of the albums songs and remixed the song “Three men in a boat with Howard Marks
originally released on the previous album “30 Years of Counter Culture” The album was released in 2009 on Genepool/Universal Music Group
.
The album has been described by Upsetter Magazine as “the 21st century equivalent of the early experiments with beat poetry and improvised Jazz
” and the K&C Daily Times said " River Styx, a London based rapper and purveyor of broken beat and electronica,.. a heady mix of both spoken word poetry and fractured samples. The album is recontextualising the beat poets into the modern age".
seminal work Naked Lunch
which was organised by Oliver Harris
, Andrew Hussey
and Ian Macfadyen accompanying the book 'Naked Lunch @50: Anniversary essays' edited by Oliver Harris & Ian Macfadyen. This was the inspiration for Lee Harris & River Styx behind the experimental piece Hunterland
.
Also Lee Harris and River Styx performed and currated an event at The Portobello Film Festival
called the Beat Goes On, the second of a two part event. The first part was currated by poet and New Departures founder Michael Horovitz
.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
"River Styx", is a British songwriter, rap poet, composer and music producer whose work includes music on the satirical BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
animated series Monkey Dust
Monkey Dust
Monkey Dust is a British satirical cartoon, notorious for its dark humour and handling of taboo topics such as murder, suicide and paedophilia. There were three series broadcast on BBC Three between 2003 and 2005...
in 2003, remixes including Howard Marks
Howard Marks
Dennis Howard Marks is a Welsh author and former drug smuggler who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases, supposed connections with groups such as the CIA, the IRA, MI6, and the Mafia, and his eventual conviction at the hands of the American Drug...
and The Mystery School Ensemble in 2005, also most recently a collaboration with playwright, publisher and spoken word artist Lee Harris
Lee Harris (South African musician)
Lee Harris , is a South African playwright, publisher, and spoken word artist.He was one of the few white members of the African National Congress, where he helped with the Congress of the People and met Nelson Mandela...
released on Genepool/Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
in 2009 the album Lee Harris meets River Styx - Angel Headed Hip Hop (Album)
Angel Headed Hip Hop (album)
Angel Headed Hip Hop is an album by Lee Harris & River Styx released in 2009 on Genepool/Universal Music Group...
. The Portobello Film Festival described him as "Musician & rap poet River Styx was brought up in Ladbroke Grove, West London and has been on a weird and wonderful musical journey ever since, through folk tinged broken beat, Experimental Hip hop, electronica and anywhere in-between".
Musicianship
Aside from vocal, and lyrical duties, River Styx's musical contributions to projects he has been involved with has included Guitar, both acoustic and electric. Also Bass guitar and Piano/Synths. He also incorporates many electronic elements to his work. programming beats and manipulating samples.In interviews River Styx has cited a variety of personal musical influences, including band The Pixies, Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, experimental singer & composer Bjork
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...
, Hip Hop artist Madlib
Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. in Oxnard, California, known professionally as Madlib, is a Los Angeles-based DJ, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, and music producer...
, jazz saxophonist and composer Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
and poet songwriter Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
.
Solo Work
The song 'Carried away' was included on the film Gold Fish BowlGold Fish Bowl
Gold Fish bowl is a British drama / black comedy written and directed by Hicham Bensassi-Development:A Gold Fish Bowl conceptual pre-production trailer was produced and premiered at the 2010 opening of the Portobello Film Festival-References:*...
. River Styx is working on a new untitled album with various musicians.
An acoustic version of the song Sheffield/Tunis and remixes of the song Carried away were included on the podcast series on New Antique Records
New Antique Records
New Antique Records is an independent record label based in London, England.-Podcasts:A series of podcasts began in 2011 featuring exclusive songs and remixes including; Joe Gideon and the shark, River Styx , Band of Holy Joy, Eddie Woods, Lee Harris, Shpongle, The Moonlight Convention,...
The Moonlight Convention
The Moonlight ConventionThe Moonlight Convention
frame|River Styx in studio 2009. Photo by Tony Ishola.The Moonlight Convention founded by Hicham Bensassi aka River Styx .is an experimental music collective...
is an experimental music collective founded by River Styx in 2009,
among other things, writing and performing scores for various films.
Lee Harris meets River Styx
The first meeting took place during the time of an event "Terra Firma" where Lee HarrisLee Harris (South African musician)
Lee Harris , is a South African playwright, publisher, and spoken word artist.He was one of the few white members of the African National Congress, where he helped with the Congress of the People and met Nelson Mandela...
and River Styx had both performed separately. A few years later River Styx invited Lee to record something for a project he was working on and quite organically the album Lee Harris meets River Styx - Angel Headed Hip Hop (Album)
Angel Headed Hip Hop (album)
Angel Headed Hip Hop is an album by Lee Harris & River Styx released in 2009 on Genepool/Universal Music Group...
was born. They brought in special Guests such as writer Brian Barritt, rapper JC001 and River Styx wrote the music, performed vocally on four of the albums songs and remixed the song “Three men in a boat with Howard Marks
Howard Marks
Dennis Howard Marks is a Welsh author and former drug smuggler who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler through high-profile court cases, supposed connections with groups such as the CIA, the IRA, MI6, and the Mafia, and his eventual conviction at the hands of the American Drug...
originally released on the previous album “30 Years of Counter Culture” The album was released in 2009 on Genepool/Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
.
The album has been described by Upsetter Magazine as “the 21st century equivalent of the early experiments with beat poetry and improvised Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
” and the K&C Daily Times said " River Styx, a London based rapper and purveyor of broken beat and electronica,.. a heady mix of both spoken word poetry and fractured samples. The album is recontextualising the beat poets into the modern age".
Live performance
Lee Harris and River Styx travelled the UK and Europe on the “Don’t Hate, Create Tour” that consisted of a constantly evolving cast of musicians which included a special performance in Paris for the 50th Anniversary of the publication of William S. BurroughsWilliam S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
seminal work Naked Lunch
Naked Lunch
Naked Lunch is a novel by William S. Burroughs originally published in 1959. The book is structured as a series of loosely-connected vignettes. Burroughs stated that the chapters are intended to be read in any order...
which was organised by Oliver Harris
Oliver Harris
Oliver Harris is a British academic and lecturer at Keele University. He has written on and edited numerous works by William S. Burroughs, including Junky and The Yage Letters. His subject areas are film, literature and American studies....
, Andrew Hussey
Andrew Hussey
Andrew Hussey OBE is a cultural historian and biographer, born in Liverpool, England. He lectured in French at the University of Huddersfield in the mid to late 1990s. He was a Senior Lecturer in French at the University of Wales Aberystwyth and since 2006 he has been the Head of French and...
and Ian Macfadyen accompanying the book 'Naked Lunch @50: Anniversary essays' edited by Oliver Harris & Ian Macfadyen. This was the inspiration for Lee Harris & River Styx behind the experimental piece Hunterland
Hunterland
Hunterland is a single by Lee Harris and River Styx released in 2009 on Artifact Records. After being part of the Naked Lunch @ 50 symposium in Paris, Harris and Styx were inspired to complete this ambient homage to William S. Burroughs and his seminal work Naked Lunch. The piece is composed of...
.
Also Lee Harris and River Styx performed and currated an event at The Portobello Film Festival
Portobello Film Festival
The Portobello Film Festival is an independent international film festival based in London, which annually premiers over 700 new films, including features, shorts, documentaries, music films and animation. Additionally, workshops and talks with top film directors are also featured. Admission to...
called the Beat Goes On, the second of a two part event. The first part was currated by poet and New Departures founder Michael Horovitz
Michael Horovitz
Michael Horovitz is an English poet, artist and translator.-Life and career:Michael Horovitz was the youngest of ten children who were brought to England from Nazi Germany by their parents, both of whom were part of a network of European-rabbinical families...
.
External links
- Official River Styx Website http://www.riverstyxworld.com
- Official Website http://www.hichambensassi.com
- River Styx in 'London's Burning: the Mick Jones Rock n Roll Library' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=834Rozo70T4
- River Styx in 'The Road to the Beat Hotel' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CroEm2v0tnI
- River Styx performing in Paris http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Li7LBEGw3NM
- Interview with River Styx excerpt http://cityseamag.wordpress.com/2009/10/28/interview-excerpts-1-lee-harris-river-styx/