The art of substraction. Baskaru is now up to 25 releases, and each one is unique, but none are as singular as Nouvelles Upanishads du yoga, a series of deep reflections on feedback, sound synthesis, and the art of substraction. Paris-based visual and sound artist Emmanuel Allard has been making electronic and digital music since the late 90s. Beside contributions to several compilation albums and despite live performances on three continents, he has been keeping a very quiet release schedule. First there was Imite Moi in 2003, a platter of digital avalanches released as Fabriquedecouleurs, and then, a decade later, Nouvelles Upanishads du yoga under his own name. In the meantime, Allard has changed his approach, his equipment, and his way of saying more with less. Using only a hybrid analog-digital modular system, the Buchla 200e, Allard has produced a series of tones that are pure here, polluted there, juxtaposing and superimposing simple elements in ways that let you focus on their similarities and contrasts. Using basic effects, he expands his sound palette without actually stepping out of an ascetic approach that inspired respect. Throughout the album, you can hear how much this simple yet abstract music can only be the result of long years of research and evolution. The graphic design of the album, elegant yet disarmingly simple, mirrors these aesthetics.
