I’m sure like a lot of people I found my way to Majeure via Zombi. AE Paterra, drummer extraordinaire for the prog/heavy synth duo Zombi, lays down serious cosmic grooves and swaths of heady synth in his side project Majeure. Paterra makes lush, dense soundscapes when he escapes into the world of Majeure. Where Zombi lays it on heavy in the prog rock-meets-sci-fi soundtrack vibes, Majeure is more of a rhythmic dance between techno grooves and early late-70s/early 80s Komische vibes.
Two of Majeure’s albums, Timespan and Solar Maximum, are in my mind classics of the electronic/heavy synth genre. There’s momentum in those epic tracks; a dance floor propulsion mixed with a deep sense of journey. They’re truly amazing albums and ones that belong in every serious music lover’s collection. Phaedra? Rubycon? Force Majeure? Add Timespan and Solar Maximum to the list.
On September 27, 2019 AE Paterra unleashes the new long player from Majeure. Mass Flashback is being released via the mighty Holodeck Records and I can’t think of a better pairing. The heady roster of Holodeck seems like a perfect spot for Majeure to land and give us some new, complex music vibes.
According to Holodeck Records:
Mass Flashback marks the return of Majeure in top form, embracing the role of world builder and storyteller through the use of tone and rhythm. Paterra’s signature mood is conveyed through a special union of traditional composition with the seemingly limitless expansion possible with the use of electronic instruments.
Harnessing years of experience and crafted methodology, Majeure delivers a sharp and impressive addition to his extensive catalog on the timeless and incomparable Mass Flashback.
Lead single and opening track “Longing, Love, Loss” shows Paterra putting Majeure squarely back in our brains with a hypnotic and exquisite track. Bits of early 80s Tangerine Dream intertwine with precise percussion and melancholy chord structures. There’s still notes of Majeure’s Krautrock past, but this time there seems to be a more emotional heft here; a score to a heartbreak. This is AE Paterra at his absolute best.
Check out the stunning video for “Longing, Love, Loss” created by drip//cuts and preorder Mass Flashback right here.
Complex Distractions 