Tout Un Silence (PETIT LABEL PL SON 25) – a release so focussed on its philosophical intent that it even prints a haiku inside the cover, and illustrates said haiku with a minimal hand-drawn image, or two versions of it to be more precise (the one inside is seen from above and displays a very symbolic circle replete with meaning).
Guillaume Pierrat from Buffières in France plays various forms of cymbals (including the tiny crotales and finger-cymbals) on these 2023 recordings. He advises me the title could render into English as “A whole silence”, strongly suggesting ideas about integration and a holistic view of sound production that not only includes silence, but all forms of human action and movement, and thought. All of that might be derived from the simple image of the butterfly perched on the edge of the cymbal. Unlike a lot of modern minimal playing or compositions we’ve heard lately, here is a record that doesn’t insist on pregnant pauses or long, testing stretches where nothing much appears to be happening – on the contrary, Pierrat is filling every available moment with examples of his subtle craft, just doing so in miniature and with restraint.
Screenprinted cover and limited to 100 copies, in line with most items on this label. The drawings of the butterfly and cymbal were done by Hélène Balcer. (17/11/2023)