Obliques and Atmospheric has released a new album of music from electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani and French composer & synthesist Jonathan Fitoussi, Golden Apples of the Sun.

“‘Golden Apples of the Sun’ has a couple of distinct references in the context of this album,” explains Ciani. “The line comes from my favorite poem, The Song of Wandering Aengus by William Butler Yeats. It is, in fact, the only poem I know by heart. Jonathan and I had the idea to make a recording of this poem, and so I read it and we integrated it into a mainly Moog Subharmonicon track.”

“The other reference,” she adds, “is to Morton Subotnick’s seminal record Silver Apples of the Moon. From 1967, it defined a new voltage-controlled classical electronic music.”

In an interview with Orb magazine, Ciani and Fitoussi shared details of the synths used on Golden Apples of the Sun:

Ciani: “My main instrument is a Buchla 200e and my primary use of it is in live performance. I love to capture the aliveness of the voltage-controlled composition as it is created and creates itself. I brought these live “organic” techniques to Buchla in this project.

But another important instrument that I have and love is the Moog One: it has a brilliantly designed interface and the rich textures that a Moog produces and is more keyboard-centric. And the Moog Subharmonicon is featured in this recording on the title piece. It has sophisticated rhythmic control and the signature Moog richness.”

Fitoussi: “At Susan’s house we used mainly the Buchla 200e which is her favourite instrument. She has a special link with her Buchla, she plays it with great dexterity and finesse. I use a smaller version of Buchla. We both love its sonorities, they are so organic, so lively.

But we also frequently used the Moog One, which was in her studio for its very warm sounds. Back in my studio in Paris, I recorded the instruments that have surrounded me for years now, like the AKS synthi, for instance.”

Description:

Mainly recorded in California, facing the Pacific Ocean, the white sound of synthesizers mixes constantly with the sound of the waves and wind. The music generated is directly blended with the surrounding elements of nature. It is both organic and live, hypnotic and rhythmical, powerful and dreamlike.

Golden Apples of the Sun is available on vinyl and in digital formats via Bandcamp. You can preview the album below: