When asked to define Pentadox, I usually say, “it is Sylvain, Bram and me, making music together.” And if this collective experience has been so fruitful, the reason is probably that, ever since our first meeting, our sole intention has been to make music as a unit. I like to call it an “anti-project” because the music always seems to outstrip any projection we could formulate as a band. No agenda. Zooming in. What do we like in music? Flow, playfulness, melody, mystery, rhythm, imaginary spaces, counterpoint, the act of folding and unfolding sounds and ideas, fun, dance, trust, patience, multidimensional time and structures, calling on the subconscious — the ways in which we combine and structure these elements within the music have undoubtedly evolved over time, but our ethos remains the same: place intuition and interaction at the very center of the collective process. Zooming out. Since its inception in 2015, Pentadox has followed a double path by inviting guest musicians and multidisciplinary artists, and by functioning as a trio. As if it were tomorrow is our first release documenting the latter context. Playing as a trio allows for greater intimacy with the music, silence, imagination. It also gives each of us more mobility within the trio: like Escher’s staircases, the pull of gravity can switch at any time. All jumps permitted! Most live albums offer the listener a new perspective on compositions previously released on studio albums. For As if it were tomorrow, we wanted to record most of these compositions for the first time, in a context that included listeners. Their presence, like the physicality of space we all shared, gives the music a special orientation and feel. We hope that you find something in this music. (Samuel Ber)
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