Belgian guitarist/tape machine manipulator Jean D.L. is back with a new album called Zenaide which is out now via Esc.rec. According to the press release, Zenaïde is a thrilling piece with a very cinematic feel to it, meticulously constructed by Jean D.L. with the auditory input of an impressive list of participating artists, which include Aki Onda, Rhodri Davies, Joke Lanz, My Cat is an Alien, Andy Moor, Karen Willems, John Dikeman, Julia Kent, Jasper Stadhouders, Mauro A. Pawlowski and many more. The stunning black and white photographs of Bénédicte Blondeau on the 6 panel album cover further enhance the cinematographic qualities of this feat.
“The project started in the bud I think with Lee Ranaldo’s album ‘Outside My Window The City Is Never Silent: A Bestiary’ on which Lee uses ‘recycled’ samples from him and other musicians to compose his own pieces. That way of creating music had impressed me very much when hearing it the first time. At the same time, I am formed as a filmmaker, so I like to create cinematic music pieces. Furthermore over the years of programming, mixing, and playing I have met a lot of interesting and very diverse musicians whose work I love. From all of these elements together started to grow the idea over the years to create a soundtrack to an imaginary, non-existing film using only samples of what musician friends were willing to send me and some sounds from my archive.“
Listen below.