Univers-Île

One of the electronic music wizards of the southern hemisphere, Jeremy Labelle, has released Univers-Île, his second album, which is a sonic melting pot that reflects the cultural diversity that exists on his island, La Réunion, which lies between Mauritius and Madagascar. Like an Impressionist artist, Labelle advances using small brush strokes from a colourful palette of sounds. He pays tribute in his own specific way to ancestors through maloya, the Creole music originating from the African slaves and Indian workers on the island. His music is full of ethereal surprises, using traditional drums, voices and tropical sounds that are filtered through his electronic machines.
Labelle's guest maloya singers – Nathalie Natiembé, Maya Kamaty and Zanmari Baré – appear to enjoy the game of hide and seek that he has created, as they each place their voices within the challenging soundscape. Two great masters, the Indian slide guitarist Prakash Sontakke and the revered Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko join him, bringing their instrumental contribution to weave a fascinating musical tapestry in ‘Soul Introspection’ and ‘Grand Maître'. ‘Souviens-toi’ deserves a special mention, on which a local poet, Hasawa, chants over the rifts of a Moroccan Gnawa gimbri.