L'OUMIGMAG: Ce Qui Tourne Dans l'Air

L'OUMIGMAG: CE QUI TOURNE DANS L'AIR
RON 044, 2025

˚∆~Terre~Horizon                                 01:43

Ce qui tourne dans l’air (ft. Erika Angell)  07:13

°˙· L’invisible de l’air                              00:54

Ce qui surgit                                          08:24

Ce qui s’écoule                                       04:47

Ce qui constelle                                      09:39

Ce qui persiste                                       07:41

Ce qui ne veut pas s’éteindre                   03:04

BONUS: Ce qui tourne dans l’air (Instrumental)           07:13

Sébastien Sauvageau: Composition, guitar, vocals, synths, electronics

Dâvi Simard: Fiddle, foot percussion

Alex Dodier: Saxophone, bass clarinet, synths, sampler

Stéphane Diamantakiou: Double bass, electric bass, synth bass

Sam Joly: Drums, additional synths

+ Erika Angell: voice on Ce qui tourne dans l’air

„An erudite and daring mix of jazz, trad and contemporary music. A musical postcard that illustrates the entire territory of Quebec, those who live in it, its landscapes, its history.“ F.Marchesseault Radio-Canada.

l’Oumigmag, a jazz and avant-folk quintet based in Quebec, Canada led by composer and multi-instrumentalist Sébastien Sauvageau and recognized for its innovative and resolutely creative approach is set to mark the spring music season with the release of their highly anticipated third album, Ce qui tourne dans l’air. This album invites listeners on a unique sonic journey, exploring cyclic time and fiddle music tradition through powerful grooves and luminous soundscapes. Since its inception in 2017, l’Oumigmag has drawn inspiration from the poetry of northern landscapes and the richness of Quebec’s traditional music. The band’s name, meaning “muskox” in Inuktitut, evokes a mysterious animal from polar regions, symbolizing resilience and contemplative strength.

With Ce qui tourne dans l’air, the group deepens its musical exploration, drawing influence from the cyclical grooves and musical philosophy of Nik Bärtsch, as well as the enveloping soundscapes of Portico Quartet and The Gloaming. The result is a bold fusion of contemporary jazz, traditional music, and electronic textures.

Ce qui tourne dans l’air represents a perfect synthesis of roots and innovation. Carried by both contemplative and dynamic melodies, the album narrates a constant dialogue between echoes of the past and resonances of the future. The group integrates electronic treatments while remaining faithful to the essence of Quebec’s fiddle traditions.

The album’s philosophical and poetic inspiration is well captured in a quote from David Abram:

“The cyclical metamorphosis of the distant past into the distant future, or of that-which-has-been into that-which-is-to-come, would seem to take place continually, in the depths far below the visible present, in that place where the unseen lands beyond the horizon seem to fold into the invisible density beneath our feet.”

The album explores how past elements (traditional music), present experiences, and future innovations coexist and influence one another.

Sauvageau’s compositional approach evolves with this album, moving away from a more programmatic style to focus on what the music itself has to say. The cyclical rhythms, timbres, and melodies inspired by traditional sources are at the heart of this exploration. The compositions touch on the ineffable, creating a presence that embraces the coexistence of different times and cycles that transcend human perception. The group cultivates an increased presence and a fuller sound than ever before.

While Ce qui constelle maintains a clear connection to Champ d’étoiles from the album Habitant, the changing rhythm of the rhythm section on a 5:4 polyrhythm situates listeners in a completely new universe. Another highlight of the album is the track Ce qui tourne dans l’air, featuring the incomparable Erika Angell, an experimental Swedish singer known for her distinctive voice, performing lyrics written by Sauvageau. Ce qui surgit confirms the album’s more rock and pop energy compared to the band’s previous releases, with new rhythmic intensity, powerful grooves, and the seamless integration of synthesizers into the group’s sound. Fans of poignant melodies will not be disappointed by the album’s generous lyrical passages. Tracks such as Ce qui s’écoule and Ce qui persiste evoke the soundscapes of iconic 1980s ECM albums and Peter Gabriel’s So. Tracks like L’invisible de l’air and Ce qui ne veut pas s’éteindre push sonic exploration even further, using samples from other album tracks processed through step sequencers and granular synthesis.