I have previously mentioned Julien’s work on this site in his role as the electronic half of the marvelous band Other Matter. While I thoroughly enjoy his work with Michel Kristof (as, hint hint, you can see on this page), I wasn’t necessarily prepared for this extraordinary tribute to an extraordinary composer.
“S’Eteindre…” is a long (I’m talking literally long…over five hours long) homage to and a eulogy for composer Krzysztof Penderecki, who was yet another amazing artist the world lost in 2020. Penderecki was, well, let’s call him an “outside the box” composer; he had a long, distinguished, award-winning career producing interesting musical creations. Even if his name is not familiar, you’ve likely heard his music used in movies (“The Shining” and “The Exorcist,” to name two that are perhaps familiar).
From interviews I’ve read with him, it seems Pendrecki was very interested in and affected by electronic music. But rather than moving directly into that musical world, that influence manifested in his compositions for acoustic orchestral instruments. The interesting twist Julien Palomo makes on “S’Eteindre…” is that he uses his apparent interest in Pendrecki’s acoustic music and uses that influence in the creation of these electronic compositions.
While, as I mentioned, this collection is both praise to and lamentation for Pendrecki, it also seems to be a general reflection death and whatever may come after. It contains a range of sounds from experimental noise to traditional classical music elements. The music sometimes directly suggests its inspiration, but overall carries the same vibe throughout; the whole feel is that of an “Adagio for the Borders of Death” (to partially borrow the title of the epic final track here). It’s a wonderful send off for a beloved composer, and an awesome collection for us to enjoy while waiting for “the end of the world.” C’est fantastique.