Mute records are continuing their 4.0 40 years celebrations by releasing a box set featuring Mute artists past and present interpreting John Cage’s ‘4’33’, the composer’s 1952 piece that has driven people crackers ever since.
The box set (called STUMM433) will feature Mute artists, from their latest signing K Á R Y Y N right back to The Normal, which marks their first material since the ‘T.V.O.D.’/’Warm Leatherette’ 7" that launched the label back in 1978.
Says The Normal AKA Mute boss Daniel Miller: "John Cage’s ‘4’33’ has been present in my musical life for as long as I can remember as an important and inspiring composition. When the idea of every Mute artist doing their own interpretation of the piece came up during a conversation with Simon Fisher Turner, I immediately thought this was the perfect way to mark the label’s MUTE 4.0 (1978 > TOMORROW) series."
All profits from the box set will be shared between the British Tinnitus Association and Music Minds Matter. Also presenting their own versions of ‘4’33’ are Depeche Mode, Liars, Einstürzende Neubauten, Erasure, Carter Tutti Void, ADULT., Ben Frost, Cabaret Voltaire, Nitzer Ebb, New Order, Lee Ranaldo, Afghan Whigs, Simon Fisher Turner, Irmin Schmidt, Moby and so on.
Each track will feature a visual accompaniment, and Laibach are the first of the Mute crew to unveil their interpretation of Cage’s work, via a short film which you can watch above. The video features the Croatian performance artist Vlasta Delimar and a Slovenian-designed levitating turntable. To stay on top of news about this bonkers project, visit the Mute website.
