It often happens musical genres cling to well-trodden paths, but a record like this "Nine Tales Of The Winds" emerges as an eccentric gust, sweeping away conventional expectations. This collaborative work by Laurent Pernice, Jacques Barbéri, and Dominique Beven, released just a few days ago (July 7th 2024) with the help of musician and sound engineer Nicolas Dick (Kill The Thrill), is a paradoxical blend of ancient and futuristic, organic and synthetic, serene and disquieting.

The genesis of "Nine Tales Of The Winds" lies in "Le Corps Utopique", collecting music commissioned by the company Anima Motrix for a choreographic piece in 2018. Since then, the project has evolved, gaining layers of complexity and sonic depth. Dominique Beven’s use of rare wind instruments — launeddas, hulusi, granna, cromorne, khen—serves as the album's foundation. These instruments, steeped in cultural history, are deconstructed and reassembled by Laurent Pernice’s electronics, creating a tapestry that is both familiar and alien. Pernice, a stalwart of the 90s French industrial scene with Nox, brings his experience to bear, ensuring that the album is as rich in texture as it is in concept.

Recording largely in live conditions (many hours of improvised sessions, research, and experiments recorded on multitrack), with loops and effects crafted in real-time, "Nine Tales Of The Winds" possesses a raw, unfiltered energy. The inclusion of Jacques Barbéri, who adds his unique instruments like the Tibetan rhadong and genetically modified sax, injects an unpredictable element into the mix. The result is a soundscape that feels as though it could morph at any moment, teetering on the edge of chaos yet meticulously controlled.

There is an irony in using winds, instruments that get connected to the wind by a wordplay, an element often associated with freedom and transience, that seems to become the core motif for an album so intricately composed and manipulated. The wind, after all, cannot be tamed, only experienced. This album captures that elusive quality, offering a series of auditory vignettes that feel both ephemeral and eternal. Tracks like "Le Silence, la nuit" and "Après le feu, tout resplendit" invoke a sense of stillness and renewal, echoing the cyclical nature of wind and time.

Listening to "Nine Tales Of The Winds" is akin to wandering through an aural gallery, where each piece demands full immersion to appreciate its subtle nuances and hidden depths. "Ghost Mountains" conjures vast, echoing landscapes, while "Voices of Canopee" brings a canopy of interwoven sounds, creating a dense, almost tangible atmosphere. The album oscillates between moments of meditative calm and intense, almost overwhelming saturation, as evidenced in "Zombies" and "Lost Angels."

Released by the German label Psychofon Records, known for its unconventional an d sometimes legendary artists like The Residents, "Nine Tales Of The Winds" fits perfectly within a catalog that celebrates some of the most avant-garde outputs. The album’s design by Valérie Méalin and its mix by Laurent Pernice at Cabanon Studio reflect a meticulous attention to detail that complements its auditory ambitions.

"Nine Tales Of The Winds" is mostly a journey through the mindscapes of its creators. Pernice, Barbéri, and Beven have crafted a work that is at once thought-provoking and deeply musical, a testament to the boundless possibilities of winds' sound. Whether you find yourself lulled into a trance or propelled into a state of heightened awareness, this album ensures that you will never listen to winds (and maybe even the wind) the same way again.