Gerade erscheint auf Hallow Ground das neue Album “La Traversée” von Matthias Puech. Der französische Komponist, Wissenschaftler und Instrumentenentwickler knüpft damit an sein 2023 erschienenes Werk “Mt. Hadamard National Park” an und vertieft gleichsam dessen poetisch-gedankliche Dimension. “La Traversée” ist von Homers “Odyssee” inspiriert – einem Text, den Puech laut Label beim gemeinsamen Lesen mit seinen Kindern neu entdeckt hat. Themen wie Sehnsucht, Angst vor dem Unbekannten und der Drang nach Orientierung prägen die vier Stücke, die mit einem Modularsystem von Eurorack entstanden sind. Das Album erscheint als LP und zum Download.

“Reading a graphic novel adaptation of »The Odyssey« with his two four-year-olds, he noticed the effect that it had on them and himself. »Its themes of longing, fear of and attraction to the unknown, unresolved quests, and the struggle for control felt topical,« he says. »I was completely taken. Every story ever told seemed contained in this ancient tale; every story I have ever tried to tell as a composer seemed inscribed in this framework.« This also extended to formal motifs such as the repetition of incidents, narrative developments, or dramatic effects that also mark »La Traversée.« Puech says that he perceived Homer’s writing as musical, »like an old Delta blues or a Renaissance counterpoint,« which inspired his writing process. »With a couple of knobs on my Eurorack system, I could control the unfolding of a story,« he notes. »This made me pass through different emotional states and led to moments in which everything made sudden sense—when you as an artist get a glimpse at something essential, can touch upon something universal.« This shines through »La Traversée,« a wildly imaginative album that is deeply personal while also telling a story far more wide-reaching than that of its creator”. (Hallow Ground)