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LaraajiA living legend of ambient electronic music, Laraaji has crafted spellbinding new age music for nearly five decades. His audio incantations explore the possibilities of electro/acoustic instrumentation, and are tinged with mysticism and spirituality.
Born in 1943 as Edward Larry Gordon, Laraaji attended Howard University in Washington D.C. and studied composition and piano. In the ‘70s, Laraaji was initiated as a swami, and began to merge music with lifelong Eastern spiritual practice. After buying a zither from a pawn shop and converting it to an electronic instrument, Laraaji began busking with improvised jams in Washington Square Park. This is how he was discovered by Brian Eno in 1979, who offered to produce him on the spot.
The result of this collaboration was "Ambient 3: Day of Radiance" (1980), the third entry of Eno’s Ambient series and the first record Gordon released as Laraaji. The album featured heavy use of acoustic stringed instruments like a hammered dulcimer and 36-stringed open-tuned zither to weave an intricate tapestry of meditative sounds.
His staggering career since has touched on countless sounds and disciplines, from dozens of ambient recordings for labels such as WARP and All Saints records to Laughter Meditation Workshops, which Laraaji presents across the world. In 2022, he played on the Medicine Singer’s self-titled album. Most recently, he played instruments for Big Thief’s 2025 album "Double Infinity" and the soundtrack for "Marty Supreme," composed by Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never).
Our chances to connect with music history are getting rarer and rarer. Laraaji’s appearance at Sled Island is one such opportunity, and it is not to be missed.
Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe
Revelling in spontaneous creation with voice and modular synthesizers, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe has fused his experimental music with multiple disciplines for over two decades. He’s toured extensively with Explosions in the Sky, scored Nia DaCosta’s "Candyman," contributed music to films like "Sicario" and "Arrival," and has even worked with metal bands such as Twilight and Om.
Important info:
Start and running times are subject to change. Please check the Sled Island schedule in June for exact set times.
Upon entering a festival venue, the passholder agrees to being photographed, filmed or recorded in that venue, and agrees to the publication, reproduction, distribution and broadcast of all photographs, video or other recordings of the passholder's voice or likeness without further notice or compensation in any publicity, advertisement or other publication carried-out by, or on behalf of, Sled Island and in perpetuity in any manner and media whatsoever, including print, broadcast or internet.
Everyone has the right to feel safe and included at Sled Island. All festival attendees must abide by Sled Island's safer spaces and inclusion policy and agree to the code of conduct, which can be found at SledIsland.com/SaferSpaces.
About Sled Island:
Sled Island is an annual five-day independent music and arts festival in Calgary, Alberta that brings together a community of music, comedy and art with over 25,000 attendees in multiple venues across the city. For more information, visit SledIsland.com.
Sled Island acknowledges Calgary as the traditional territory of the Blackfoot and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Ĩyãħé Nakoda First Nations, including the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Goodstoney First Nations. Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta (Districts 5 and 6).
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Event Venue
Central United Church, Calgary Alberta, 131 7 Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0W5, Canada
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
