Failing Upwards is the current stage name for Chris Cobilis, an Australian composer active in music and sound art since 1997. Cobilis has composed music for various projects, including feature films (1%, Wasted on the Young) physical theatre, and sound installations. He has appeared on numerous recordings of his own and in collaboration with others.

Cobilis' music often explores themes of technology, perception, and the human condition. His compositions frequently employ elements of non-music and conceptual technique. Cobilis' music has been performed by various ensembles and musicians, including Decibel Ensemble, Spektral Quartet and Kenneth Goldsmith.

His 2015 installation If You Are a False Don't Entry recreated a retail record store made from self-duplicated copies of records, CDs and tapes.
The 2022 release INSTAPHONICS was made entirely from Instagram in real time on three Apple devices. It was self-released on cassette and hosted on Ubuweb.





Failing Upwards

Pette Shabu is a trailblazing rapper and DJ hailing from Quezon City, Philippines. Starting with a passion for creative writing, Pette’s journey evolved into songwriting, performing, and embracing the experimental and alternative edges of hip-hop. Her artistry is a vibrant testament to queer
experience and unapologetic transgression, ensuring her message is always front and center. 

Drawing from boom-bap, metal, industrial, electronic dance, ballroom, and techno influences, Pette Shabu crafts
immersive, high-energy performances powered by her own dynamic material.

She recently released her independent debut studio album “SPRAK” which is a 13-track experimental rap album that draws inspiration from the punk, hip-hop, rave, and ballroom scenes, showcasing genre-blurring and unconventional elements tied together in an energetic rhythm. This album is a fierce declaration, interweaving language that is raw, intentional, political, aggressive, yet playful.

Pette Shabu

Bergegas Mati

As part of Summit at Perth Festival, Liquid Architecture presents a lens to Asia-Pacific’s unrulier sound currents. The program traces a line from conceptual composition to scorched-earth noise praxis to the outer edges of contemporary rap. 

Housed within the usually members-only venue Lawson Flats, this intimate show invites close listening across a wide spectrum of contemporary sound practices. The program features Pette Shabu (experimental rap, Manila, PHI), Bergegas Mati (noise, Yogyakarta, IDN), and Failing Upwards (sonic concepts and experimental composition by Chris Cobilis), with recorded music selections before and between performances by Ben Agüero.

Li(quid)stening
Architecture

Perth Festival: Pette Shabu (PHI), Bergegas Mati (IDN), Failing Upwards, Ben Agüero (dj)

Featuring: