MusicforEggplant

One of the winners of our New Blood competition is MusicforEggplant, a quintet based in Paris and Lausanne, consisting of Jaz Ayling, Robert Ricca, Emile Barret, Tristan Savoy and Chai Ayling. Their visual art background, incredibly imaginative and creative, is noticeable in the numerous (and highly recommended) albums they have put out on Bandcamp since 2013. As they themselves state, their compositional approach is built upon a transition “from layers to rhizomes, from deconstruction to global movement, from nonsense to pop, from density to vortex, where Chaos and Curiosity are masters and improvisation nothing but a lie to follow”.

What they offer here is a mix based on the concept proposed in Dante’s Inferno. In their own words: “The doors of Hell are a frontier of what we accept as “normal life” and some aspects that dive deeper into the human mind: an effort to challenge and explore the darkest and most obsessive sides of the human condition”. In trying to depict the tragicomedy of humankind’s existence, they manage to skillfully transport listeners to an ever-changing realm, to a reality founded, ironically, on a cruel and chronically rotten society. From the compositional perspective, and although difficult to label, this mix has undeniable influences from the most forward-looking post-punk acts, Dadaism, industrial pioneers, Burroughs’ cut-up or Fluxus.

HELLGGPLAN, as this mix is entitled, is not a mere succession of tracks but a thoughtfully arranged 1-hour myriad of contrasting sounds, changing rhythms, stretching and reversing effects, distortion, bpm variations… Instinctive and astute, it is clear proof that Chaos is a sort of order in itself and the perfect tool to effectively communicate and represent ideas. Indeed, Z’EV’s axioms such as “devotion through sacrifice the discipline” or “process is the vehicle” are perfectly applicable here. The unusual aspect of this mix, and what makes of it a musical jewel, is that it includes cuts and samples from over 80 tracks, underlying the tremendous work behind it. Most of the songs in the tracklist are of their own. However, they cleverly use a truly eclectic palette of sounds taken from artists belonging to different genres, even videogames. Trepanneringsritualen, Coil, Liszt, Einstürzende Neubauten, Lakker, Anbb, Future Sound of London, Biosphere and Sun Ra are among the artists they chose to complete the discourse this mix embeds.

In the records

All in all, the experience MusicforEggplant proposes here is a truly immersive dialogue about the dystopian reality the world has lived, is living and will live. With a frantic but clear message, founded on both an exhausting effort and a cerebral perspective, they invite listeners to take their hand on a journey to a hell on Earth wisely condensed within an inspiring storm of sounds. Accept their invitation to a contemporary inner/social exploration of Dante’s Inferno. You will not regret it.

MusicforEggplant on the mix

“This mix is a condensation of a research we worked on during more than a year, about Dante’s Inferno and the nine circles of Hell. We rehearsed at home, experienced and played with HELL during two live shows, one at “Power Lunches” in London, and the second in the “Espace B” in Paris. After your offer, we did a big edit of all of those hours, and added musicians that fit the circles and echo our music. The tracks emerge from this musical magma as bodies in the bloody Phlegethon. More than the religious morals often associated with Hell and Heaven, the Divine Comedy is a great picture of Dante’s times, and the tool he uses to criticize all the classes and cultures around him, using strong metaphors to illustrate his point of view. Furthermore the Hellish musical point admits much more counterpoint, layerism, distortions, almost-non-audible music.”

The tracklist follows the original order of appearance. Its movements — Life, Death, Archeron, the nine circles and the City of Dis — are retained alongside each recording. Repeated tracks and samples are intentional.