The Beautiful Schizophonic’s highlights of 2009

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Two thousand and nine was a wonderful year for my ears and for my heart. First things first. The Beautiful Schizophonic’s second full length album on Cronica – ‘Erotikon’ – and the collaboration with composer and multi-instrumentalist from Tokyo Yui Onodera – ‘Radiance’ – on Basses Frequences, were released in the beginning of the Summer. Two exciting releases bringing my own project to a whole new level of music production. Highlights for the live performances: Festival Rescaldo, concert at Casa da Música opening for Marc Behrens, Sonic Scope 09 with Laetitia Morais on visuals and EME.LL (ensemble of Live Laptops). Great shows and excellent opportunities to meet and hang out with very nice people!

As for the special listenings of the year, well there were actually a couple of outstanding records that made my nights. Steve Roach’s 1984 masterpiece “Structures from Silence” was a late bloomer but it’s for sure among the most wonderful drone music ever produced. Italian duo TU’M’s “Monochromes Vol.1” was also a listening in wonders, post-orchestral ambiences immersed in a soft sea of static. This is what I call elegant late night music. Another fine piece of music is “Bewilderment”, a nocturnal voyage between the sparse and delicate piano notes of Sylvie Walder and the evocative field recordings of entia non. “Entropy” from dear sound colleague Yui Onodera is an excellent release for people, like me, who’s searching for moments of time suspension: the illusion of movement through ambient stasis. More mind blowing music, hidden vaults of the golden age of electronics: Klaus Schulze “La Vie Electronique 2” and Roedelius “Works (1968-2005)”. Maybe this is not music, only a place.

2009 was the year of my return to Paris, even only during half a week. I had the pleasure to have my friend Cécile Schott (Colleen) as a wonderful host who showed me the many cities of Paris.

Sadly, the year was also marked by the departure of my dear friend Danielle Baquet-Long, from the Californian ambient outfit Celer. She passed away on July 8, of heart failure at the age of 26. Much love and missing, wherever she is.

Last but (definitely) not least. I met Susana M., my new girlfriend, and life in general seems now more beautiful than ever. She is a song. Love forevermore.

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