Sylvain Chauveau - The Complexity of the Simple

Sylvain Chauveau returns to 130701 (FatCat Records’ postclassical imprint) with ‘The Complexity Of The Simple’, hissixteenth solo album and a refined statement from one ofEurope’s most established minimalist composers. Followingearlier releases on the label - ‘Un autre décembre’ (2003) and‘Simple’ (2012) - this new work deepens Chauveau’s longstanding exploration of reduction, clarity and attentive listening -what he has previously described as ‘quiet-core’.

Written between 2016 and 2025 and assembled in early 2025,the album brings together pieces shaped by two interconnectedideas: the experience of radical simplicity and a reflection on thematerial future of music itself. A formative visit to the closed Zengarden of Tokaian Temple in Kyoto, an austere expanse of whitegravel marked only by pure lines, left a lasting imprint onChauveau’s approach. Its silence, restraint and structuralprecision resonate throughout the record.

At the same time, ‘The Complexity Of The Simple’ quietlyaddresses the changing conditions of cultural production.Acknowledging the music industry’s historic dependence onfossil fuels and the growing necessity of ecological transition, Chauveau experiments with sustainable principles: acousticinstrumentation, minimal technological reliance andcompositions conceived to exist without amplification or largescale infrastructure. The result is music that is both intimate andforward-looking.

Influenced by minimal and abstract art, which is echoed in thealbum’s title, borrowed from a 2007 exhibition featuring artistssuch as Agnes Martin, Donald Judd and Mark Rothko, therecord sits confidently within the contemporary post-classicallandscape while maintaining Chauveau’s distinctive voice.

Elegant, restrained and conceptually resonant, ‘The ComplexityOf The Simple’ will appeal to audiences of post-classical,minimal and ambient music, as well as listeners drawn to artistssuch as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Arvo Pärt and the 130701catalogue. A thoughtful and timely addition to Chauveau’sextensive body of work.

Tracklisting
Le Zen Dans L’Art Du Tir À L’Arc
The Guitar Piece I Wrote for Masumi
Wabi Sabi for Beginners
Sen No Rikyu
Lignes Tranquilles Dans Le Gravier Blan

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