𝙊𝙪𝙧’ 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝘽𝙮 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠’ 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨’ 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙘.
We love pulling back the curtain on the stories and inspirations behind intriguing new releases. It’s always fascinating to hear the personal anecdotes, creative processes, and little-known tales that shaped each track. These insights not only give us a deeper appreciation for the artistry that goes into crafting these musical gems but also create a sense of connection with the artists.
This solo album from Julie Campiche is powerful, atmospheric and experimental. UNSPOKEN is a luminous ode to women and the quiet power they carry. Each piece tells its own unique story, some drawn from history, others from the present day; some widely celebrated, others known only to a few. From filmmaker Andréa Bescond to poet and sex worker Grisélidis Réal, from activist Tarana Burke to author Virginia Woolf, she honours women whose voices have been silenced, minimised, or anonymised and the causes they have championed.
Highlights, and there are many, include the swaying ‘Rosa’, the inventive ‘Grisélidis Réal’ comprised of everyday sounds, and the hypnotic ‘Las Patronas’. Performed without a harp, this track features a poem in Spanish accompanied by a shruti box (Indian drone instrument) and drums. Together, these compositions form a collective tribute to feminine strength, resilience, and the stories that too often go unheard.
Do yourself a favour and listen now and while you’re listening read the track-by-track guide below.
Anonymous: Recordings of women pronouncing Virginia Woolf’s famous sentence, each in their own tongue; a chorus of women’s voices to create a sense of community. Voices that reveal the women behind the anonymity, voices that remind us that we are not a minority but that we are one half of humanity. Musically, this piece is deliberately unvarnished to give full rein to the vocals. It features beatboxing and drumming sounds, evoking a heartbeat, as well as a tense chord with sustained notes that gradually emerge. The music remains in the background, creating a growing tension in parallel with the powerful sound of the choir.
Grisélidis Real: A groove with sounds that symbolise the different aspects of the life of Grisélidis Real, a photocopier for her role as a campaigner, footsteps on cobblestones to represent prostitution, the sound of pencil on paper for the writer, children’s laughter symbolising her role as a mother, etc. This groove is the basis of the music. Next, the emotional intent of the track is to match the intensity of this woman’s voice, to convey the cry of revolt as well as the silent sigh of pain, the lust for life and the fatigue of a tormented daily life. The mood is inspired by a dance atmosphere, without descending into pure entertainment.
Rosa: Rosa has no family name. This composition renders homage to all the women who work in the shadows of our society. Their work allows women in our Western societies to free themselves of household chores and child rearing without putting into question the founding principles of our social structure. The rhythm of this piece is built on repetitive aspects and the tension that emanates from them. The bass and treble melodies are melancholic and respond to each other in counterpoint. They are played in loops with increasing emphasis and tension.
Andréa Bescond: Dancer, choreographer, actor, author, director, scriptwriter and film director, Andréa Bescond uses her artistic talents to raise awareness about causes close to her heart, to defend the Rights of the Child, to denounce violence against women and children, as well as the lack of justice, protection and prevention.
Las Patronas: A group of Mexican women who help Central American migrants traveling on merchant trains in search of a better future in the United States, by providing them with food and water. Las Patronas prepares 300 meals a day which they to toss in bags to the migrants passing by in the trains. Despite challenges such as harassment and threats from the authorities and criminal groups, these women continue their courageous humanitarian mission. They have become a symbol of hope and solidarity for innumerable Central American migrants.
This piece, performed without a harp, shares a poem in Spanish, accompanied by a drum and a shruti, an Indian acoustic instrument that produces drones.
Tarana Burke: In 2006, the American social activist created the hashtag MeToo to support and empower women who had experienced sexual abuse. Her work went little known for many years until 2017 when the white community discovered it and spread the information on social media. This in itself highlights the complexity of diverse forms of oppression. The piece includes lyrics from Tarana Burke’s acceptance speech for the Variety Power of Women Award, 2018.
Maman du Ciel: A French artist who uses street art to denounce incest and intrafamilial violence as she struggles to recuperate her parental rights. Her 7-year-old daughter has been placed in paternal custody. In custody with the same father who is under penal investigation for incest! To let her daughter know that she is fighting for her, she places images of colorful humming birds that they once drew together along the street to her school. This track is a vocal polyphony with the question « Why can’t you hear? », running in a loop. The harp plays a bass melody and a polyrhythm to underline the imbalance and instability. Julie improvises vocally over the polyphony to evoke a lullaby.
Zaïna: This piece was the very first composition. Its inclusion is truly symbolical as it embodies the essence of innocence. Every woman, before taking on the feminine identity and the social construct associated with it, is first and foremost a human being. This piece unfolds entirely acoustically, without any use of electronical devices. It literally emerges from silence, building gradually around an improvisation, reaching its climax with the melody sung and played on the harp. This progression symbolises both the fragility and the power of innocence, capturing all its complexity and emotional richness.
