"The story began with the contemplation of lines drawn in the white gravel of a Zen garden: that of the Tokaian temple in Kyoto, which was off-limits to visitors, a few years ago. From that stolen moment, suspended in time, came the inspiration for my new album, 'The Complexity of the Simple'.
"I worked on these instrumental pieces with meticulous craftsmanship, over a period of nearly ten years (2016-2025), continuing on my path towards minimalism. An aesthetic nourished by the visual arts — in particular the sculptor Pierre Labat, who also took the photograph for the cover.
"With this new opus, I want to draw attention to an issue that I believe will be crucial in the forthcoming years and decades. The music industry was born thanks to fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) - which are responsible for the excess CO² we emit every day - and it is dependent on them at every single stage.
"But the use of these energies is set to decline sharply in the future: either because of the need to decarbonise our societies in order to limit climate change, or simply because they are non-renewable and their peak and decline are inevitable. This transition, in our time of ecological backlash, is a colossal and long-term undertaking. It will take many years, probably decades. And we know that in any case, the sooner the better.
"In this context, when do we get to work? When do we start preparing for a future world without hydrocarbons, and probably more sober? What new ways of producing, playing and listening to music will emerge?"
Sylvain
"I worked on these instrumental pieces with meticulous craftsmanship, over a period of nearly ten years (2016-2025), continuing on my path towards minimalism. An aesthetic nourished by the visual arts — in particular the sculptor Pierre Labat, who also took the photograph for the cover.
"With this new opus, I want to draw attention to an issue that I believe will be crucial in the forthcoming years and decades. The music industry was born thanks to fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) - which are responsible for the excess CO² we emit every day - and it is dependent on them at every single stage.
"But the use of these energies is set to decline sharply in the future: either because of the need to decarbonise our societies in order to limit climate change, or simply because they are non-renewable and their peak and decline are inevitable. This transition, in our time of ecological backlash, is a colossal and long-term undertaking. It will take many years, probably decades. And we know that in any case, the sooner the better.
"In this context, when do we get to work? When do we start preparing for a future world without hydrocarbons, and probably more sober? What new ways of producing, playing and listening to music will emerge?"
Sylvain
TRACK LISTING
1. Le Zen Dans L'art Du Tir À L'arc
2. The Guitar Piece I Wrote For Masumi
3. Wabi Sabi For Beginners
4. Sen No Rikyu
5. Lignes Tranquilles Dans Le Gravier Blanc
