Julien Mier
Gradually
Gradually, the latest album by Julien Mier, is a sonic journey that delves into the transitions of life, identity, and the
blurred boundaries between art and personal growth. With a trilingual brain, Mier reflects on how language shifts have
shaped his sense of self throughout his life and the music that he writes. Gradually is his exploration of
shapelessness--an urge to break free from rigid musical genres and get closer to his most fundamental expression.
The album is composed of nine tracks, each representing a distinct cultural and linguistic influence, all tied together by
the theme of gradual evolution.
The first section, Ciel, Soleil, and Espace (French for Sky, Sun, and Space), draws on Mier's French heritage, evoking
the feeling of childhood memories bathed in a warm, nostalgic glow. This fluid, atmospheric section mirrors the soft,
ever-changing air, symbolising a time of pure, untainted intention. It feels like a hazy, sepia-toned dream, as fleeting
and elusive as the scent of an old friend. The gentle flow of the music mirrors the flow of wind, effortlessly shifting from
one element to the next, a reflection of the innocence and clarity of youth.
The second section, Steen, Zee, and Zand (Dutch for Stone, Sea, and Sand), channels the influence of Mier's childhood
in a small Dutch dune village. These tracks are grounded in the hard-edged textures of electronic dance music, a genre
that introduced him to a world of rhythm and movement. With a sonic palette of blues, greys, and more defined shapes,
this section captures the solid, enduring forces of nature--earth, water, and stone. It's a sonic landscape rooted in
stability, a foundation from which everything can grow. The tracks build from the fluidity of the first section into more
structured, rhythmic territories, mirroring the natural transition from childhood innocence to the discovery of deeper,
more grounded musical influences.
The final section, Scrap (a collaborative track with the Japanese producer Daisuke Tanabe), Soil, and Spark, dives into
the exploration of the world beyond familiar borders. Mier's relocation from the Netherlands to Australia in 2016 is
reflected in these pieces, which grapple with the contrast and complexity of different cultures and environments. These
tracks are tinged with rust-red hues and a sense of eroded beauty, evoking a more fragmented, distorted view of the
world. The music here is marked by tension, conflict, and the erosion of once-solid forms--symbolic of the digital and
ecological storms that shape our modern existence. The closing piece, Spark, signals a new beginning, a hopeful
initiation into the cycle of renewal.
The album artwork for Gradually is a conclusive visual representation of this journey, captured in the final frame of an
analog film roll that began in the Netherlands and concluded with an image of the streets of Sydney, Australia--a
perfect metaphor for the album's narrative of gradual transition and discovery.
| LP | Lapsus: LPS42 | preorder |
