Yann Tiersen Shares New Track: "Roc’h ar Vugale"

In a magical way that reflects his work, Yann Tiersen is an artist who seems to appear and reappear in your life when you’re least expecting. From the countless enchanting piano compositions he’s put forward over the past two decades, to his legendary film scores (most notably writing and performing 18 of 20 compositions for Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s film Amélie) his music has a remarkable way of making you stop to reflect on whatever it is you have been burying for too long. The weight of his work is why he is a leader in music for soundtracks, music for consumers, and perhaps most importantly, music for musicians.

EUSA, Tiersen’s eighth studio album is his first ever solo piano release. On the album are 10 compositions reflecting 10 places on the island of Ushant where he is from. Each song is presented on top of field recordings of the landscapes they were based on. With the album comes an accompanying book of sheet music (which has already been released), and with each sheet is a GPS coordinate and a photograph of the site taken by Emilie Quinquis. The first of these compositions has been released with a video, and it is called "Roc’h ar Vugale". 

Recorded at Abbey Road, the recently-released video takes us through the studio as Yann sits at the piano. Microphones are placed in accordance around his instrument. Tiersen’s songs are constantly evolving, but once he presents a mood he holds you there for as long as is necessary to get the feeling across. As this composition transforms from a melancholically peaceful intro into the rich, pattern-based style that Yann is so famous for, it becomes apparent why he would have chosen this song to represent the entire album. "Roc’h ar Vugale" signifies the weight of the project as a whole. It is powerful, personal, and true to his most emotionally identifiable work as a solo pianist. As the song ends Tiersen is seen in video sitting with the resonant sound of the piano, looking on as the room falls silent. The authenticity of emotion that comes with Yann Tiersen’s work are why it is thrilling to know how deeply personal these songs are to him. "Ushant is more than just a home-" he explains, "it’s a part of me. The idea was to make a map of the island and, by extension, a map of who I am."

EUSA will be released on CD, vinyl, and download on September 30, 2016.

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