A Meeting of Sounds, or: Going on a Blind Date with Yodeling and Electronics

In the deepest heart of Central Switzerland, where tradition still pulses in the hearts and is rooted amidst the majestic peaks of Pilatus, Bürgenstock, and Rigi, traditional yodeling still resounds. However, the Lucerne singer and yodeler, Simone Felber, ventures into new, unexplored terrain with her diverse projects.

That's where she met musician and producer James Varghese. He draws his inspiration from the liveliness and versatility of the urban space in which he dwells. He experiments with synthetic sounds, moving far away from the idyllic Alpine world of yodeling with his electronica music.

In April, for the first time, the seemingly different worlds of these two artists collided. As part of "X-Stories," a Swisscom format, they embarked on a musical blind date where yodeling and electronic sounds converged. This resulted in a unique session on the Gornergrat Railway against the epic backdrop of the Matterhorn. After this initial encounter, it was clear: this is a match! Felber and Varghese joined forces after "X-Stories" and produced their first joint EP: UIJO.

With UIJO, Felber and Varghese map out new musical landscapes, gently exploring each other's worlds and measuring their own sonic topography. In doing so, they weave existing traditions with new synthetic sounds, explore the spirit of the times, and open the door for the listeners, to a unique world hidden within their music.