• 12inch Gatefold LP Cover
Commissioned by Musée Du Quai Branly in Paris for their 2012 “L’Invention Du Sauvage” exhibition, “Les Maîtres Fous” was written by French post-metal collective YEAR OF NO LIGHT in response to French filmmaker Jean Rouch’s controversial 1950’s docufiction of the same name.
Performed only twice, once at the exhibition and again in Bordeaux in 2015, this Pelagic Records release is a live recording of the second and final performance.
The main challenge in the visual and graphic representation for this recording was to find an aesthetic that did not consist of using images taken from Jean Rouch’s film nor did it attempt to appropriate African iconography.
Similar to the musical direction taken by YEAR OF NO LIGHT, I wanted to place this work in its contemporaneity, and I moved towards a minimalist graphic symbolism, without specific stylistic reference, focused on the spiritual aspect of these rituals, and their objects, tools, weapons and sacrificial prey.
The foundations of the band’s visual identity developed on “Consolamentum,” the previous album, are applied again on this EP, giving considerable importance to the illustrations.
I was once again very honored that YEAR OF NO LIGHT called upon my services, and I thank them greatly. It was a delicate but very interesting subject to work on, which allowed me, as with their previous album, to explore new references and a different aesthetic.
After a long delay due to sound quality issues on the vinyl pressing, “Les Maîtres Fous” is finally available. So get it now!
• Full Packaging for the Vinyl Edition
• Full Packaging for the CD Edition
