Mani is the very first recordings of the new collection Contra Naturam, a collaboration between Ictus Ensemble and Sub Rosa. Mani is released as a double-CD; Includes 24-page booklet.

The concept of Contra Naturam: The "magic of the record" befits contemporary music, which starts by adhering to an open, flexible sonic space where magnetic bolts of lightning shoot through. In that respect, at least, it has always been pop. The record lifts the curtain on a virtual stage; it creates its own space time; it reports on a listening project. And home computing has changed the game: the digital kitchen doesn't intimidate anyone anymore: editing and mixing are now part of the performer's daily routine.

The composer: Italian composer Pierluigi Billone (1960) is known for works which often "reinvent" the performance techniques of the instruments involved. He studied under Salvatore Sciarrino and Helmut Lachenmann. He focuses on the nature of sound. He also draws on free jazz and non-European music for his research on sound matter. After a brief return to Italy in 2000, he decided to move to Vienna. His music has privileged performers such as the Klangforum Wien. It is broadcast by German and Austrian radio, is regularly scheduled in international festivals such as Donaueschingen.

The performer: Tom De Cock (1982) received his Master's degree in percussion at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, as well as a Master's degree in contemporary music at the HFMDK Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Next to his position as percussion soloist at the Brussels Philharmonic orchestra, Tom has been working as a freelance musician in Europe: he played with Ensemble Modern, MusikFabrik, Radio Kamer Philharmonie, among others, and is a fixed member of the Ictus Ensemble, Tom has collaborated with Pierre Boulez, Peter Eötvös, Philippe Hurel, Bruno Mantovani, Philippe Manoury, Georges Aperghis, and many other prominent figures of international contemporary music.