Description
We’ve been working together for a long time, and only later realized that we hail from the same magical region and have frequented the same places, notably a Carthusian monastery turned dispensary where I used to practice. Our first collaboration dates back to 2011 and was a special moment of encounter: the track we created, in tribute to Peter Christopherson, features prominently on my album Heal Heathen.
We continued to record together until Norma Loy’s Ouroboros album, of which Stéphane is now a member.
At the end of the album, I was working on an unfinished track (Pompeii) and needed a guitar track. In response, he sent me a folder of sketches, each named after a Gallic god. I selected a few and tried to turn them into songs, adding piano tracks, vocals and melotron. The aim was to work as much as possible with acoustic instruments, including percussion. We soon talked about the “shamanic medieval folk” album, and I composed new tracks on the piano, which he complemented with guitar, lyre, viola or vocals. I wrote the lyrics for songs devoted to Nature, the tragic story of Italian artist Pippa Bacca, personal journeys, wandering, equivocal phenomena of sanctity, the animal cause, with reminiscences of the White Album, Child in Time and other inspirations.
The textures of the tracks contained sonic references to Pink Floyd, Coil, Anna von Hausswolff, Big Star, PTV….
My partner Ymaltzin also sang two tracks she wrote in French, in a poetic, esoteric mood somewhat similar to that of “Dans la forêt”, which foreshadowed the album. Sybille also sang the first track, “Oracula”, in her angelic voice.
After each track was recorded, we sent it to Alex Cable in Wales, who was in charge of mixing and mastering. It was a lengthy process.
We were almost finished when I again insisted on finishing Pompeii, for which Stéphane couldn’t find a guitar we liked, and this time it was perfect. Once the album was finished, I had the idea of adding a final track, a series of nine abyssal notes, with a little tribute to Crowley that Stéphane renamed “Eye in the Sky” in reference to K Dick.
As for the band’s name, I had suggested “Ring”, but other rings existed, so we opted for the more appropriate Pagan Ring. And “Ordalies” as a title came naturally.
