W2, the sequel to the critically acclaimed forgotten future: W1 album has been in the works for years. According to many, it’s been too long of a wait for a major new forgotten future release, but according to its creator, “good work takes time” – referring to the concept of W2: Time itself. On October 22nd, forgotten future gave an hour-long electronic music concert at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long in Hanoi, Vietnam, at the invitation of Monsoon Festival. The track list included some fan favorites from the W1 and Realignment albums, as well as some W1 tracks not previously performed in forgotten future shows. But the surprise was the world premier of two brand new tracks, Circular Time and Bending Time, from the upcoming W2 album.

forgotten future electronic music performance. Concert footage courtesy of Thanh Viet Production.

“Traveling to Hanoi felt like a time travel to an alternate past on its own, so it was a fitting event to premier the first bits of an album that’s all about the interpretations of Time. The Imperial Citadel is rich in history, the area is full of cultural and textural layers, lots of details…  which also characterize the music, so it felt like the right pairing.” – said Julius Dobos, composer of forgotten future. “I also wanted to create some continuity between the previous albums and the new one, and playing tracks from the old and the new in the same concert was a natural way to connect them.”

The closing piece, Bending Time, featured Trang Pham, one of Hanoi’s top Dan Bau performers. (The Dan Bau is Vietnam’s original, traditional one-stringed instrument, which allows the player to intricately bend notes). The music presented an interplay between cutting-edge electronics and traditional Eastern colors, a duet between new and old musical expressions.

Track list from the Hanoi show:

   (forgotten future pre-show ambience)
1. Circular Time (from W2)
2. This Time Back to the Lucky Blue (from Realignment)
3. Witnessing the Forces (from W1)
4. Energy Assembly (from W1)
5. Breakthrough Chroma Mix (from Live in California)
6. Parallel Realities Epic Monk Mix (from Realignment)
7. Return to a New Ending (from W1)
8. Bending Time (from W2)

Footage from this one-off electronic music concert is expected to be published in early 2024 – check back for updates here!