Kaj Duncan David releases avant-garde LP ‘Only Birds Know How to Call the Sun’, with Danish ensemble Scenatet
Kaj Duncan David (Photo by Mayra Wallraff)
Here’s something for the more eclectic readers. British-Danish composer Kaj Duncan David will release his new album “Only Birds Know How to Call the Sun and They Do It Every Morning” on June 27, 2025 via the Berlin-based label Hyperdelia. The album was composed and recorded in collaboration with the Danish contemporary ensemble Scenatet. It follows his 2021 debut “All Culture Is Dissolving”.
The album explores what David describes as “sci-fi chamber music” through a fusion of avant-garde electronics, speculative composition and ensemble performance. It features eight tracks.
“Only Birds Know How to Call the Sun…” was developed from MIDI recordings made during a live performance at the MINU Festival in Copenhagen. These recordings formed the basis for a layered production process involving voice (vocoder and talkbox), synth, MIDI guitar, electric wind instrument (EWI), and percussion.
According to David, the album is a “psychedelic reimagining of how language develops,” and reflects themes of AI, altered states, and early childhood communication.
The album was composed and performed by Kaj Duncan David, with Vicky Wright (EWI), Mikkel Schou (MIDI and electric guitar), and Matias Seibæk (percussion, keys). It was mastered by Joe Talia and includes contributions from Brazilian performer Maikon K, who co-wrote the texts.
About Kaj Duncan David
Kaj Duncan David is a British-Danish composer based in Berlin. His work integrates classical training with electronic music, music theatre, and audiovisual composition. He made his debut with the 2021 album “All Culture Is Dissolving”. David’s style merges elements from trance, Brazilian music, and spiritual jazz with conceptual influences drawn from science fiction, speculative philosophy, and language studies.
Scenatet is a Danish contemporary music ensemble based in Copenhagen. Known for cross-genre collaborations and interdisciplinary commissions, the group supports experimental works from composers across Europe.
“Only Birds Know How to Call the Sun and They Do It Every Morning” was commissioned by Scenatet and the Frequenz Festival (Kiel), with support from the Danish Arts Council, Koda Kultur, the Danish Composers Society, Sound Art Lab (Struer), and the Studio for Electroacoustic Music at Akademie der KĂĽnste (Berlin).
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