The Alpha Lebbeus planet is an enigma. Not much is known about the origins of its inhabitants, other than the myths that they share with us. They believe that their ancestors – the Past Ones – were masters of matter and space, bending nature to their will in constant pursuit of energy. When there was no planet left to mine, no star left to extract energy from, the Past Ones turned to the centre of the universe to tap into the ultimate power source: Yggdrasil, the three of life that binds together space and time. When the tree's last leaf fell from exhaustion, night fell over all galaxies. With this darkness came a deluge of creatures even more insatiable and tyrannical than the Past Ones. They are known as the Havocites, the new overlords of the galaxies…
This is the state of Alpha Lebbeus, 40 years after we first explored the expansive planet during the debut collaboration between Club Matryoshka and CTM in August 2020. With this follow-up collaboration, Club Matryoshka have expanded on this unique Minecraft world, together with a story-based gameplay narrative co-developed with artist collective Children of Cyberspace. For the virtual club night held on 23 January, the six-hour journey was soundtracked by live and DJ sets created by a diverse group of emerging artists from around the globe, curated in a collaborative spirit by Club Matryoshka and CTM.
Until the end of February 2021, you can continue to explore the giant and intricate Alpha Lebbeus world, decipher the fate of the Past Ones, and complete various challenges to defeat the Havocites. Read on below for information of how to enter »Project Hyphae,« to discover the storyline, and to view a tutorial that introduces you to basics of Minecraft and »Project Hyphae.« You can also rewatch the club night and listen back to the live and DJ sets of the participating musicians through archived recordings.
To explore the Minecraft world you need:
- Discord account (free), lets you meet and interact with other visitors and performing artists
- Minecraft client (MAC/PC Java Edition v.1.16.3 only)
- For new visitors: Pre-registration with Club Matryoshka for Minecraft entry (free)
Please note that all registration form questions must be answered to secure yourself an invite.
About Club Matryoshka
Founded in 2019, Club Matryoshka is an international virtual venue, home and safe haven to underground and unorthodox music mutants. Based in the Philippines and built in Minecraft, Club Matryoshka was founded and developed by a community of gamers, artists, and musicians: similarobjects, dot.jaime, cavill, ahju$$i, JohnPope, and Maengo69 felt a lack of freedom and acceptance in club scenes, both in Manila and abroad, and sought alternative avenues for sharing their work and finding community. The club opened in July 2019, barely a year before COVID-19 would bring in-person events and nightlife to a halt.
Donations:
In the spirit of transformation and as part of Club Matryoshka's advocacy of extending help and using their platform to help people in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, all donations to this event will be passed on to PH-based Charity and Youth Group »KidsForKids» – a youth-run youth empowerment and charity organisation that aims to inspire and educate a legacy of peacemakers, world shapers, and changemakers. Currently the organization is collaborating with various groups to bring safe spaces for young people that connect them back to our natural world: For the Future Philippines and Masungi Georeserve for reforestation efforts in the upper Marikina Watershed that aids flood-prevention in the city, Museo Pambata for an urban green space within the city of Manila full of endemic and native flora, and the Municipality of Del Carmen in Siargao to plant and protect an area of Mangrove forestry in collaboration with youth from the island too.
Enveloping Alpha Lebbeus in sound were cutting-edge selections from BBC 6’s infamous Mary Anne Hobbs; Taiwan's Sonia Calico mixing strokes of dancehall, kuduro, and gqom in a seamless blend with traditional East Asian instrumentation; a gravitational mind/body set by object blue; a full-on euphoric club takeover by Rinse Paris resident De Grandi; the simultaneously psychedelic and austere creations of multimedia and noise activist Pisitakun; Siete Catorce collaborator Amazondotcom's hypnotic grooves and abstract zaps; groove-heavy productions by holistic raver Bored Lord; 33EMYBW's peculiar, fragmented sound world rooted in insects, aliens, and other creatures; 160 bpm monster Moa Pillar bringing vibes of late-90s Russian MTV; the unabashed speaker-freak dancefloor joy of W00dy; the surgically precise sound and vision of S280F / 011668 / VVXXII; the idiosyncratic takes on classic club styles by Berlin's Rroxymore, who »is unafraid to throw a wrench into her steady grooves« (Fact); AYA and xin‘s pecial ambient set for the world’s experimental music floor, alongside multi-instrumentalist ZULI who delivered an ambient set of blissful textures and ethereal collages; FRKTL’s broken beats, expansive cascading noise, and sonic suspense; introspective minimal productions by t0ni; and evocations of personal perceptions and struggles by Tegh and Floating Sound Nation, their sounds ranging from droning to dreamy.
Club Matryoshka x CTM – Club Stage
Club Matryoshka x CTM – Club Stage
Club Matryoshka x CTM – Ambient Stage
Club Matryoshka x CTM – Ambient Stage
Project Hyphae Storyline
Written by: Club Matryoshka and Children of Cyberspace
Centuries ago, the Past Ones destroyed the universe by draining all the energy out of the tree of life. The Hyphamites, descendants of the Past Ones, are now fighting to restore balance. They took upon the duty to rebuild the universe and bring back life to its planets. Every 33 years they perform a complex communal ritual to revive the tree of life.
The planet Alpha Lebbeus is an enigma, what makes it so intriguing is its people. Not much is known about their origins, except what their myths tell us. They believe to be descendants of an even older civilizations that they call the Past Ones. Their ancestors were masters of matter and space, bending nature to their will in their constant pursuit for energy. Their intricate networks of machinery stretched across the vast expanses of the universe their ever growing cities.
It is said that when there was no planet left to mine, no star left to extract energy from, the Past Ones turned to the center of the universe in search of the ultimate power source: Yggdrasil, the tree of life. Located at the core of the universe, it binds together space and time together. The Past Ones extracted its energy for millennia. When its last leaf fell, so did the Past Ones. Slowly, the intricate machinery stopped working, and it is said that there was no trace of light left anywhere in the cosmos. Darkness settled permanently over the galaxies and with this eternal night came, a host of creatures even more tyrannical than the Past Ones came forth. They are known collectively as Havocites, the new overlords of the galaxy.
Realizing what they had done, the remaining Past Ones decided collectively to give their own lifeforce to breathe life back into the tree. They chose to return to desolate planet Alpha Lebbeus, in order to acquire the ancestral knowledge of Hyphaenologie. The Past Ones chose a select group of individuals known as the Hyphamites to carry on and bring life back to Yggdrasil. The Hyphae can also induce a power of transmutation, granting the Hyphamites the skills to craft any tool and gain any ability they desire.
This is why after 33 years they embark on a journey through the world, to conduct a ritual of music and dance, to clean the tree’s energy and regenerate its roots. This ritual spans across multiple realms and requires the participants to work together in order to succeed. All of it is happening under the enchanted music of the shaman(artist) that opens the doors (reference to the doors of perceptions) and guides them in their journey.
Or… so they say ! Others think they just party the night away playing music and dancing. Who knows? it's up to you to decide! You’re welcome to take part in this gathering and make your own opinion.
Minecraft »Hyphae Lebbeus« world: Club Matryoshka
Music Curation: Club Matryoshka x CTM
Narrative: Club Matryoshka x Children of Cyberspace
Funded by: Senate Department for Culture and Europe | Goethe-Institut