Richie Culver’s music fuses spoken word, noise, and social commentary into stark, immersive performances. His practice draws from personal and societal narratives, weaving harsh sonic textures with fragmented, often unsettling texts. Influenced by industrial and noise traditions, Culver’s soundscapes evoke urban decay and social dislocation, exploring themes of marginalization, surveillance, and control. His work echoes the sonic provocations of Throbbing Gristle and the narrative fragmentation of William S. Burroughs, confronting audiences with a sense of rupture and collapse. Culver’s spoken word is raw and incisive, interlaced with abrasive electronics and field recordings that heighten a sense of unease. His works bypass conventional musical structures, creating performances that are both intimate and confrontational, challenging listeners with their emotional intensity and thematic weight.

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For Stavanger Secession 2025, Culver will present a new performance inspired by the disturbing realities of cuckooing in the UK and referencing the Josef Fritzl case. He will stage a domestic setup on stage—a sofa and living space—contrasting the appearance of comfort with the underlying threat of control and abuse. Combining spoken word with harsh noise, this performance will deepen Culver’s exploration of societal fractures, offering audiences a powerful, unsettling experience.