With a unique and inquisitive approach to the cello, French-American artist Leila Bordreuil leads the old, majestic instrument into new electroacoustic territories. Her ability to juxtapose the cello’s organic creaks and bow strokes with surging noise textures and elongated synthetic tones has brought her to the stage alongside artists such as Thurston Moore and Toshimaru Nakamura. The last time we presented Bordreuil, she performed a spellbinding concert with Laurel Halo at Hellig Kors Church—so we’re excited to welcome her back to ALICE this October with a new album on Relative Pitch.

Leila Bordreuil explores the cello like no other. Through extreme amplification and a refined sense of feedback, the Brooklyn-based musician pushes the instrument to its outer edges, conjuring both roaring walls of noise, trembling stillness, and an underlying melancholic current. Beneath the electronic surfaces, the cello’s organic creaks and string textures sometimes emerge as a counterpoint, while at other times the instrument dissolves into stretched, synthetic soundscapes. It is this curiosity—this constant urge to push the cello into new territories—that makes Bordreuil’s music so compelling to experience.

Leila Bordreuil is known for her wide-ranging collaborations across the experimental music scene and has worked with artists such as Laurel Halo, Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Kali Malone, and Drew McDowall (Coil). At the same time, her deep roots in improvised music have brought her on stage with figures like Thurston Moore, Zeena Parkins, and Toshimaru Nakamura. When Laurel Halo previously performed at ALICE, Bordreuil joined the tour—and now she returns in her own name. With a new album forthcoming on Relative Pitch, she once again pushes the boundaries of what the cello can be. We look forward to experiencing her latest work unfold live when she performs at ALICE this October.

Said about Leila Bordreuil
“Brooklyn-based cellist wields white noise like a chef wields a knife, hacking out great chunks of static, shredding cello harmonics in the midst of a lighting storm of her own creation. The sound was heady and all-encompassing.” – The Quietus, 2025

“Steadily scathing music, favoring long and corrosive atonalities.” – The New York Times