31/01/2026
Just announced! Thanks to Amek ❤️
The debut album of 'Bneleti' (ბნელეთი), a solo project by the American musician, ethnomusicologist and educator Ben Wheeler will be out next week on Inverted Spectrum Records and will be followed by a three week tour of Central and Eastern Europe. The tour consists of 16 gigs in 10 countries, as well as other activity such as lectures, DJ sets, and improv gigs with local musicians.
▸ 8/2 VIENNA, Vekks
with: Drašler/Resnik/Arn/Drašler
▸ 11/2 GRAZ, Kombüse
▸ 12/2 PRAGUE, Punctum
with: Mušhuššu
▸ 13/2 BUDAPEST, Secret Location
presented by blinblindblind
with: Napok Romjai
▸ 14/2 BRATISLAVA, A4
with: Otomo Yoshihide
▸ 15/2 SUBOTICA, JMS club
▸ 17/2 BELGRADE, Kontrapunkt
presented by Inverted Spectrum Records
with: Zagušljivi Dim, Umbra
▸ 19/2 KRAGUJEVAC, White Rabbit
▸ 21/2 SKOPJE, Kotur
▸ 22/2 SOFIA, Pave
presented by Amek
with: His Last Winter
▸ 24/2 BUCHAREST, Zadar Bar
▸ 25/2 RUSE, Blok 14
▸ 26/2 VARNA, ToN 618
presented by Amek Collective
with: Lower Sound Dimension
▸ 28/2 ANKARA,
presented by
with: Kralizec, Yaren Eren Budak
▸ 1/3 ISTANBUL, Karga
event: Sonik Chamber #19
with: Şevket Akıncı, Batur Sönmez
▸ 7/3 TBILISI, Mutant Radio
Additional events:
10/2 INNSBRUCK, Lecture in Open Space
18/2 BELGRADE, DJ Set at Guvernanta
20/2 SKOPJE, Radio gig at Radio Kanal 103
3/3 ISTANBUL, Lecture at Bilgi University
4/3 ISTANBUL, Improv set at
The sounds of Bneleti (ბნელეთი), named after a pre-Christian Georgian word that translates to “Land of Darkness,” are drawn from seemingly disparate sonic realms: incorporating the complex counterpoint of Georgian polyphony, the bends and ornaments of Azeri guitar, and aesthetic sensibilities from the darker side of independent scenes in the Pacific Northwest. The music reflects the growing barrage of influences that have influenced Wheeler’s progression as a performing artist, composer, and musicologist.
Bneleti is undoubtedly a musical expression of Wheeler’s ongoing work in the Caucasus region, where he has been based for over a decade. As the co-founder of Mountains of Tongues, an organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the diverse music traditions of the Caucasus region, he has recorded songs in languages that have rarely been caught on tape, instruments that only exist in extremely small numbers, and performances from a variety of underrepresented ethnic, religious and linguistic minority communities throughout the region. The project is also responsible for the growing popularization of the Azeri guitar tradition, having released a documentary on the subject, and organized the release of multiple recordings.
In addition to his work as a musicologist, Wheeler is an active member of Tbilisi’s burgeoning experimental scene, teaching modular synthesis courses at Creative Education Studio, working as a resident of Mutant Radio, and playing regularly in local clubs and festivals across the South Caucasus.
Bneleti can also be seen as the distinct example of Wheeler’s compositional philosophy, encouraging the ethical incorporation of elements from traditional musics into new works as a means of highlighting the former’s creative potential and contemporary relevance. His annual Caucasus All Frequency residency is focused on the intersection of global/local “traditional” music and music technology, offering composers new approaches for sonic engagement.
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Bneleti live in Arno Babajanyan Concert Hall, Yerevan: youtube.com/watch?v=RLdXHFB9OoY
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Bneleti, Wheeler’s first full-length, self-titled album under the moniker is set for release shortly before the tour and will be available on Bandcamp.
https://invertedspectrumrecords.bandcamp.com/
For tour updates, follow:
facebook.com/invertedspectrumrecords
instagram.com/inverted_spectrum_records
instagram.com/benwheelermusic/
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