Text by CLOT Magazine
One year ago, we met Jean-Michel Jarre in a small room in the London office of SONY, his record label. During that conversation, he talked about science, the environment, and the way technology has defined his creative process, I realised that I probably spend more time with technology and machines than human beings.
Jarre’s influence on electronic music goes beyond breaking down boundaries of composing with albums like Oxygène, Équinoxe, Magnetic Fields, or Rendezvous. He has been at the forefront of artists using new technology for music since ever. Last year he partnered with TheWaveVR, allowing users to experience his latest album, Equinoxe Infinity, in virtual reality and on November 7, 2019, at the Web Summit in Lisbon, he launched his latest project, EōN: a dynamic music app which produces infinite, ever-evolving music, accompanied by a constant progression of organic visuals. Using original musical elements composed by Jarre specifically for the project, the app creates a never-repeating and completely unique musical experience for every user, every time.
I named this project EōN as it best defines exactly what it is – an infinite musical and visual creation. Personally, I truly feel that EōN is one of my most exciting creative projects since my debut Oxygene. EōN is a never-ending, never repetitive, organic art-piece that will live and grow forever in everyone’s own singular space-time continuum, at the tip of their finger. Jarre says on the app.
EōN is a work of art designed to be played endlessly. A world-first due to its sheer scope and scale, the app combines man and machine as the algorithm weaves together original material — beats, melodies, chords — which Jarre composed, performed and recorded in his studio. ‘It’s not a matter of collaboration or not. It’s a matter of trying to find another way to deal with technology with more empathy. Jarre continued during the interview when asked about man-machine collaboration.
Alexis André, SONY CSL’s researcher, brought the music to life visually by creating an intricate and elaborate flow of ever-evolving graphics. The encoding and final algorithm were delivered by Alexis Zbik and Vianney Apreleff from the French music tech company BLEASS.
An audio-visual journey that transcends time… I could not think of a better challenge, and it’s been a priceless experience to bring the sounds of Jean-Michel Jarre to the screen. Alexis André says.
