pre-order ICCHĀ

ICCHĀ, meaning ‘desire’, is an international project that started in 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Spearheaded and conceptualized by Miet Warlop and musically enhanced by Micha Volders, the work Chant For Hope was collaboratively realized with seven native performers and premiered at the opening of the Dhaka Art Summit. This monumental living sculpture involved casting hundreds of Bengali words in plaster, fostering a dynamic interplay between performers, public space, and participation while delving into the relationship between humans and language. The performance made words extremely tangible, sometimes leading to unexpected chaos and Impromptu slogans.

Working together in Dhaka towards a shared goal was a profound experience for everybody involved, albeit one punctuated by cultural contrasts and unexpected challenges that ultimately infused the project with palpable energy and a sense of collective purpose.

Recordings were carefully curated into a persuasive album that still carries the inherent structure and heart of chant for hope. The musical cadence and rich heritage of the Bengali language provide the foundation for a captivating soundworld, with angular drumming and vocals that oscillate in mantra-like repetitions. A powerful and uncompromising journey featuring the performances of slam poet Shayer Noor, the energetic Muhammad Shanto, and the Chittagonian-spirited Tanny Das Gupta as protagonists while navigating through the vibrant frenzy of Dhaka.

Find more information about the project here
Listen to the first single ‘OK GO ঠিক আ4ছে যাও’ here
Pre-order the vinyl record here

Concept & Lyrics by Miet Warlop
Music & Production by Micha Volders

Vocals by Shayer Noor, Nur Muhammad Shanto, Emam Hasan Shanto, Fabiha Tanjim Anchol, Tanny Das Gupta, Md Al Amin, Towfiq Arifin, Hossain Zibon & Miet Warlop

Recorded in Dhaka, Bangladesh Brussels, Belgium
Mastered by Calyx Mastering, Berlin

Images by Miet Warlop / Layout design by Mutropia

ICCHĀ kwam tot stand dankzij de steun van de Vlaamse Overheid, Mutropia, Irene Wool
Chant For Hope kwam tot stand dankzij de steun van Dhaka Art Summit, Diana Campbell Betancourt, Kanal Pompidou, Irene Wool