echo tree is a multidisciplinary platform run by Shungu & Nola, operating at the intersection of art, culture, and archives. It offers a space for sharing Shungu's work, fostering dialogue and exploration at the crossroads of their artistic visions.

Following the screening of L.A. Rebellion short movies and Julie Dash's iconic Daughters of the Dust, an open discussion will invite reflections on themes of memory, exile and cultural transmission woven throughout films.

The night will unfold into live musical performances and a DJ set — an echo between cinematic legacy and musicians, exploring identity, resilience, and spiritualism.

programme

PART I 14:00 A SELECTION OF L.A. REBELLION SHORT FILMS
free looped screening in the cinema downstairs, until 18:00

PART II 18:00 DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST
screening in the golden space, aftertalk in Beurscafé

PART III 20:30 ECHO TREE INVITES Damsel Elysium, Astrønne, Chima Isaaro & Shungu
concerts & dj-sets on the rooftop, until 01:00

PART I - L.A. REBELLION SHORT FILMS

When it Rains (Charles Burnett, 1995, 13 min)
The Pocketbook (Billie Woodberry, 1980, 13 min)
Rain [Nyesha] (Melvonna Ballenger, 1978, 16 min)
Water Ritual #1: An Urban Rite of Purification (Barbara McCullough, 1979, 6 min)

"The L.A. Rebellion movement sought to deconstruct dominant representations and tell stories rooted in Black experience, outside of Hollywood’s conventions. Filmmakers like Charles Burnett, Haile Gerima and Billy Woodberry employed radical visual and narrative techniques that align with a certain way of thinking about music—an organic, raw, visceral approach where time and space are not bound by commercial frameworks. I wanted to highlight this movement because it embodies artistic independence, a deep connection to memory, and a stripped-down yet powerful aesthetic—qualities that resonate with my own way of producing and experimenting with music." — Shungu

PART II - DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST

Daughters of the Dust (1991), directed by Julie Dash, is a visually and musically stunning film about the Gullah people, descendants of West African slaves on the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina, USA. Set in 1902, it follows the Peazant family as they face the choice between preserving their ancestral culture or embracing an uncertain future on the mainland. Told through a poetic, dreamlike narrative, the film explores themes of heritage, memory, and resistance. A landmark in Black cinema, it was the first feature by an African American woman to receive a wide theatrical release. In 2017 it was digitally restored and colour graded, in close collaboration with Julie Dash and original cinematographer Arthur (AJ) Jafa, making its rich storytelling and cinematography even more breathtaking.

get your ticket >>

After the screening we will gather in the cozy twilight of Beurscafé for an aftertalk with Shungu & Fanta Sylla.

"As a musician, my approach is deeply rooted in spirituality, history, and Afro-descendant heritage. Daughters of the Dust is a film that highlights these themes, particularly through Gullah culture and the collective memory of African diasporas. Its aesthetics, nonlinear storytelling, and grounding in oral and visual traditions resonate with the way I approach music—by exploring textures, sensations, and emotionally charged narratives." — Shungu

Fanta Sylla (1992) is a Paris-based author, film critic, screenwriter and tutor specialised in Black film histories. She has created the open-access and experimental database Black Film Critic Syllabus. She has contributed to the BFI book “Black Star” on the history and status of Black actors in the film industry. Her writing on cinema, music and contemporary art has appeared in The Village Voice, Flash Art, Les Inrocks, The Fader and Pitchfork, among other publications.
https://instagram.com/littleglissant
https://cargocollective.com/littleglissant

PART III - ECHO TREE INVITES

21:30 Shungu (Vinyl Set)
22:15 Astrønne
23:15 Damsel Elysium
00:00 Chima Isaaro
01:00 (end)

get your ticket >>

Damsel Elysium is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, experimental sound, visual and performance artist based in London. Damsel utilises double bass, violin, piano and original
field recordings in order to explore alternative communication and connections with physical spaces and nature. Their latest release with AD 93, Whispers From Ancient Vessels is a collection of tales, ‘speakings’ and relationships with nature’s beings such as trees, the sea and the inner self. The tracks are vulnerable, dark and raw- a translation of the earth’s own rawness and darkness- they seek to amplify alternative communication. Damsel has collaborated with FKA Twigs, Celeste and the London Contemporary Orchestra, and has performed in Southbank Centre, Tate Modern and the V&A Museum. This rooftop communion is one to look forward to.
https://www.instagram.com/damsel.elysium/
https://damselelysium1.bandcamp.com/

Astrønne is a boundary-pushing artist of Cameroonian origin and Breton culture, whose music emerges from the underground microcosm of Parisian jazz jams. A self-taught singer, writer, and multi-instrumentalist, she crafts ethereal soundscapes that blend folk, jazz, experimental influences, and lyrics in French, English, and Spanish. With an intimate yet cinematic approach to performance, her music is deeply personal, shaped by a love of psychoanalysis, an exploration of mental health, and a desire to create as an act of resistance. As Astrønne prepares to unveil her first solo project, set for release in 2025, her voice calls out to those yearning for healing, connection and liberation.
https://www.instagram.com/astr0nne/

It's clear that Lisbon-based DJ Chima Isaaro (FKA Chimahiro) has been doing the work. Lighting up the basements of Brussels, the dance halls of Milan, and renowned spaces like Panorama Bar or Doka Amsterdam, the seasoned digger and selector is rightly becoming recognized for her uplifting, surprising, and always generous sets. Well-known for effortlessly melodic sonic journeys that weave through the time-spaces of techno, house, disco, soul, batida, jazz, and more, every reminder of dance music’s Black origins is a call for the people to let loose and have fun. Her mix series Nyce & Slo has long been a favorite for lovers and yearners, while her more jacked-up dance mixes for Boiler Room and NTS or at Sonar and Waking Life, have won her devotees internationally. Chima Isaaro sustains that expansive energy with a universal invitation: you can come if you can dance.
https://www.instagram.com/chimaisaaro/
https://soundcloud.com/chimahiro

about

Maybe Brussels’ most enigmatic music prophet Shungu is forever in transformation. Under the name Senga, he is an accomplished producer and beatmaker who has worked with the likes of Dreamcastmoe, Quelle Chris en Fly Anakin – and will play at the upcoming edition of Jazz Middelheim. His latest alias dj Echotree and the eponymous label/platform are dedicated to the more introspective, legacy-oriented and interdisciplinary side of his artistic practice. Considering the impressive series of mixtapes, albums, radio shows and live gigs to his name, the only constant for this next chapter might be that you’ll be using your mind, your memory and most of all your heart to experience it to the fullest.
https://www.instagram.com/shungu_senga
https://sengasenga.bandcamp.com/

Nola is one of the visionaries and driving forces behind Fatsabbats, a cultural, supportive and inclusive space for and by racialised LGBTQIA+ communities.
https://www.instagram.com/nola.wav/
https://www.instagram.com/fatsabbats/

get your ticket >>