MOBULA

Sometimes I find myself making impulse purchases. This was the case with the latest project from the male half of "IAMTHEMORNING." Yes, "Gleb Kolyadin," the Russian pianist who graduated with acclaim from the St. Petersburg Classical Conservatory under the direction of Professor Vladimir Polyakov. I don't know the reasons; I can only imagine. A fleeting preview triggered this impulse: I had to have it. Modula will now be an integral part of my music collection. Just as his previous opus, "The Outland," had struck me.

A prerequisite, no doubt due to the man's virtuosity, especially since it combines with the organic warmth of the century-old "Broadwood" piano. That was all I needed. I was as if bewitched, captivated without being aware of its structure or its themes. "Gleb" has that ability? I would say? Immersive in his music, which oscillates between hypnotic repetition and harmonic soaring, where, moreover, the piano is the common thread. "Parallax," which instigated this unexpected acquisition, and "Glimmer," which confirmed to me that I had made the right choice. The influences of Philip Glass emerge, defined by the evolution of the hypnotic repetitive motifs. The feeling of immersion, almost cinematic. As if enveloped in a contemplative state, of escape. At times, I felt as if I were plunged into the oceanic abyss of the "Mobula" ray's habitat, a sensation further amplified by "Fractured," reinforcing this impression of abysmal immensity. I didn't know if I was in the ocean depths or in the interstellar. So much so that I had to learn more about this project.

Gleb Kolyadin's latest project, Modula, hit stores on February 28th. Above all, its strength lies in its ability to captivate even before we understand its structure or themes. I find his immersive signature, his virtuosity, and his capacity for exploration. I mentioned earlier the influences of Philip Glass, particularly in terms of motifs. I find a wealth of textures. His approach to minimalist jazz, à la Tigran Hamasyan, or the progressive explorations of Keith Emerson. The addition of folk and jazz adds an additional richness, giving Modula a dizzying sense of sonic journey.

Before continuing the narrative of new sounds, the album consists of 14 short pieces from his approach to "new sounds," drawn from his vast musical archive inspired by "polonium cubes." This project represents evolution and change over time. As stated on his label's page: the idea of ​​an aquatic, science-fictional journey. As the album title and its artwork suggest: "Mobula," a graceful ocean creature. In this regard, this isn't the first time he's delved into his musical archives. This was already the case with his self-titled debut album in 2018.

Undeniably, "Gleb Kolyadin" surprises. Pleasantly, I should say! It certainly doesn't have the texture of "The Outland," which is more progressive, but not only that... However, the juxtaposition of sound fragments, the structure, remind me of short story collections or science fiction novellas, where each story explores a different facet of the same universe. Where each piece is like a short film or a sound vignette capturing a fragment of this imaginary planet evoked by the album. His cinematic approach to composition and the immersive atmosphere. The alternation between contemplative moments, electronic pulses, and folk textures gives the impression of traveling through different scenes, the emotions they arouse, and the landscapes that reinforce this idea. To this, I would add that with "Gleb Kolyadin," and particularly in the context of "Modula," we sense in certain transitions, in the crescendos, sudden, unexpected ruptures. As if he abandons all logic to follow an emotion or a spontaneous idea. A controlled abandonment, if I may say so. Ah! That's where I was going with this. I have this feeling that the opus is split into two parts, starting with "Transient." The modus operandi clearly changes. We move from an introspective, sometimes meditative space like "Parallax" and "Glimmer," to something more organic, unstable, alive, almost chaotic in places. It's at this moment that the magic happens. And the artist's intention doesn't matter. What matters is what I experienced. This awakening where the rhythms become more complex, the texture denser, the motifs less cyclical, the contrasts accentuated. We feel that something is blossoming or cracking. "Kolyadin" has this narrative genius of not creating pieces, but states of consciousness. And in Modula, this pivotal moment around "Transient" resonates like a body capture, a descent into a more concrete, rhythmic, textured material.

To conclude, I have the impression that "Gleb Kolyadin" pushes this even further: he retains the poetic essence of "IAMTHEMORING" but injects it with a rawer, more free, sometimes even more mathematical, even contemporary jazz.

{translated from French to English by admin -- reviews should be submitted in English}

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