Chthonic mythology refers to an underground otherworld in which the primordial creative forces which shape the epichthonic world (the terrestrial world) are activated. Plate tectonics can be seen as the palpable expression of this activity. It shapes landscapes, creates islands and redistributes the geography of continents. This activity, almost invisible to the naked eye, is nevertheless manifested by sounds which are located in the infra-bass domain, therefore almost imperceptible to the ear, except during earthquakes resulting from intense activity.
The resulting soundscape can be characterized by cracking, tearing, shaking, growling and buzzing. It is this lexical field that Guillaume CAZALET intends to explore, in continuity with his work on this primitive sound territory for several years already, as evidenced by his catalog on the Homo Sensibilis Sounds label, both in his solo work (CZLT) and within collective like Neptunian Maximalism. To do this he uses an instrumentarium inherited from extreme metal, made of multiple amplifiers, electric guitar and distortion/ fuzz. High-level amplification is an essential characteristic of this project because it allows us to reveal this domain of infra-bass, inaudible in essence, but palpable by the vibration of the material. A physical approach to sound, resolutely experimental, which does not exclude feeling from the equation through a subtle manipulation of harmony, space and time. As usual, art, spirituality and science must find a certain balance in his work to arouse soteriological feeling through a strong aesthetic experience likely to awaken our sensitivity to the issues underlying this work: our relationship to the concept of nature .
From a symbolic point of view, such a project can be seen as an opportunity to reflect or contemplate through imagination on the invisible mechanics of our planet as well as to question the impact of the Anthropocene era which affects the last geological layer and upsets the balance of our ecosystem. Inspired by the ecological philosophy of Bruno Latour to Vinciane Despret, Guillaume CAZALET wants to send a message: “Modernity – this conception of the humanization of nature – is over. The new ecological class is in progress. As an artist, my mission is to awaken your sensitivity and educate your heart to achieve this revolution.”
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Born in 1988 in Nîmes, France, Guillaume Cazalet (CZLT) grew up between the Camargue and the Cévennes. He now lives and works in Brussels as a musician, composer, producer, and director of the Homo Sensibilis Sounds label, whose visual identities he designs thanks to his activity as a graphic designer and painter/designer. His active projects include Neptunian Maximalism (NNMM) ; Czlt ; Ôros Kaù ; Sol Kia ; Zaäar ; Jenny Torse ; Aksu, and among its former projects: Lab’OMFI, Siamese Queens, Bonepipe, Vorax Virosus.
Andrés Navarro Garcia (La Unión-Spain, 1992) is a percussionist whose work focuses on experimental music. He combines his solo activity with that of several ensembles. He currently develops most of his artistic activity in Belgium, where he has lived since 2017 and where he obtained his master’s degree in percussion at the KASK School of the Arts & Conservatorium (Ghent) with professors Wim Konink and Gert D’Haese. As a musician, Andrés aspires to bring his aesthetic universe closer to all kinds of audiences. This is how he found himself in the fields of composition, research, teaching and improvisation.
