Renowned sound artist Scanner has collaborated on a project based around the European Elections and the enlargement of the European Union. "Europa 25: An Inter-National Anthem" explores the myths, realities, images and ideas around the politics of Europe from an artistic perspective.

How was the project created?

This project represents Europe’s diversity and unity. Taking themes from every existing member’s national anthem and blending them into a single sacred song, Scanner has tried to offer an alternative and playful approach to a possible contemporary interpretation of what an anthem might sound like.

This recording and the accompanying performance explores a personal interpretation through a mixology of themes familiar to each country, of voices and field recordings from each territory, images that reflect the personality of each distinct nation, and video projections that echo every province.

There is a short main theme, with melodies taken from each country, to be played at the beginning and end of each performance. In between there are other explorations of this theme through a series of mixes.

Europa 25 is not intended to replace the national anthems of the Member States but rather to celebrate the values they all share and their unity in diversity.

Where was the performance?

The opening performance took place on Saturday 27 November 2004 at La Raffinerie (Rue de Manchester straat 21 - Brussels) as part of the Net Days festival of electronic art.

A recording of the European anthem as well an additional five tracks is now available to listen to online or as a freely distributed CD.

Listen to Europa 25

Who is Scanner?

Musician, writer and media critic; Robin Rimbaud, aka 'Scanner', uses 'found' electronic sounds, many from conversations on cell phones, to produce aural collages of electronic music. Some of his controversial early work used scanned mobile phone conversations, which Scanner wove into his musical soundscapes.

In recent years his work has taken him all around Europe and the USA, collaborating and performing with artists like DJ Spooky, Laurie Anderson, Bryan Ferry and Michael Nyman. In 1999 he provided the soundtrack for BBC Radio’s productions of Cocteaus's ‘The Human Voice’, Shakespeare's ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’ and Sylvia Plath's ‘Three Women’.

To read an interview with Scanner about Europa 25

For further information about Scanner visit his website

For more information about Europa 25, please contact Roland Gulliver