Dowland Downloaded

An evening of experimental art-pop and reimagined Renaissance songs. Split concert featuring two solo acts: Tara Pasveer and Sean Bell’s Dowland Downloaded.

Sean Bell presents Dowland Downloaded, a contemporary exploration of the music of British composer and lutenist John Dowland (1563–1626). This project investigates what happens to Dowland’s music when the Renaissance lute is replaced by a DIY synthesizer. Does the music lose its original meaning and aesthetic, becoming merely a fragile framework for quirky synth-pop? Or does it reveal new layers of meaning and alternative modes of expression through experimental performance practices?

Armed with a self-built electric baroque guitar and a cassette player, countertenor and performance artist Sean Bell constructs a world of his own in which Dowland’s timeless texts and melodies unfold in unexpected ways.

Tara Pasveer is an art-pop musician based in The Hague. Using her voice, electronics, and various instruments, she invites listeners into a distinctive dream world. She blends surrealist atmospheres with experimental soundscapes, combining English lyrics and invented languages. In 2023, she joined the London-based label sly-tone and released her debut EP Og Imtel, known for its warm, ambient production. In 2025, she introduces a fresh pop sensibility to her work, featuring infectious beats and vocal lines with lyrics centered on love and sensuality. Tara has toured across Europe, with notable performances at Rewire Festival in The Hague and St Pancras Old Church in London.