"Intuitive Fields is a natural extension of the Rue des Garderies majestic debut, with Sweetzak venturing deeper into solitary, dreamlike ethereal tones that amount to an exceedingly beautiful ambient release with a compelling march towards darker terrain on the back half."
Parisian imprint Femacosmé is only two full lengths into their discography yet they’ve already carved out a niche within the ever cluttered realm of experimental electronica. On the label’s debut from Rue des Garderies, our best album from 2024, the duo of Désiré Bonaventure & Zach crafted sprawling, lush soundscapes that fused ambient, dub, and idiosyncratic electronics.
The improvisational nature of their recordings made it all the more compelling, as you found yourself vibing with the producers in real time. ‘Rue des Garderies’ was not afraid to demand your attention, with tracks exceeding the fifteen minute mark. In a time when our attention gets pulled to something new every ten seconds, the glacial approach of the duo and label is a welcome addition to our listening habits.
The latest edition from Femacosmé is the debut solo album from Rue’s Zach, recording under the Sweetzak moniker. ‘Intuitive Fields’ is a natural extension of the Rue des Garderies majestic debut, with Sweetzak venturing deeper into solitary, dreamlike ethereal tones that amount to an exceedingly beautiful ambient release with a compelling march towards darker terrain on the back half.
Zach’s lush production is on a grand scale, as you can’t help but feel small compared to the epic sonic world that unfolds over each track. It is an album that’s meant to be experienced front to back, as its enveloping space dust ambient takes you further into a celestial audio experience.
"The ethos of Femacosmé is at full strength out of the gate. Instead of leaning into trends that would increase hits and views on the playlists, they instead solicit and craft releases that offer a respite to the weary music streamer."
For a roadmap of what lies ahead on ‘Intuitive Fields’, “Eye of the flying fish” is the album’s centrepiece. Over relaxed, hazy synth patterns, you feel a sense of time standing still. You could be looking at the sky, seeing galaxies spiral and die within seconds, as gas giants burn out and make way for new universes to dazzle the eyes. Like on ‘Rue des Garderies’, Sweetzak is happy to let the tape run and blow your mind over and over again with a track as transcendent as “Eye of the flying fish”.
As ‘Intuitive Fields’ edges towards its conclusion, a suite of tracks returns from the gorgeous void for a grounded yet tripped out set of gothic pieces. The pianic echoes of “Viggo’s Dream” recall a lost Vangelis track. The mournful atmosphere brings the ethereal vibe of the album back to solid ground for an achingly beautiful bit of soothing, contented melancholy. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the ghostly vocals of Liz Harris aka Grouper showed up, but the instrumental is effective in its own right. “Nightcall” continues the funereal shift at the end of the album, offering up a mixture of ambient flourishes and church-like organ echoing across an empty cathedral.
The ethos of Femacosmé is at full strength out of the gate. Instead of leaning into trends that would increase hits and views on the playlists, they instead solicit and craft releases that offer a respite to the weary music streamer. Much like sitting in a movie theatre, phone on silent, and giving a film two hours of your full focus, ‘Intuitive Fields’ asks you to do the same on your stereo.
Sweetzak presents an album like a choose your own adventure art installation, where the listener fills in the blank on the accompanying imagery to the beautiful sounds within the LP. Once you dive in it’s easy to hear what’s so captivating about this label and project.
‘Intuitive Fields’ is out now via Femacosmé. Buy a vinyl copy from Inverted Audio Record Store and digital from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
A1. 1.1
A2. Intuitive fields
B1. The center of it all
B2. Eye of the flying fish
C1. Meeting you
C2. The sea in you
D1. Viggo’s dream
D2. Nightcall
D3. Ne t’arrête pas