Frenchman Jérôme Chassagnard presents this new album featuring eleven tracks. “New” might not be entirely accurate, however, as it includes several reworked pieces—primarily drawn from previously released EPs—alongside tracks that are unfamiliar to me.

To me, Jérôme Chassagnard remains an incomparable artist: someone who consistently follows his own path, resulting in experimental music enriched with a wide range of subtle influences. Here, you encounter cinematic soundscapes with delicate piano fragments, weightless, space-like passages, but also a form of danceable, idiosyncratic lounge music. At times, a voice emerges; often, field recordings can be recognized. Now a slow rhythm resonates, then broken beats take over. The compositions may occasionally feel somewhat fragmented, yet they also possess a certain cohesion—above all, they remain distinctly personal.

This is perhaps one of the most accessible productions I have heard from Jérôme Chassagnard and, to my ears, a thoroughly enjoyable record. (Rating:7½).

Listen to “Floating Cities”:

About Jérôme Chassagnard

Jérôme Chassagnard is a French musician and composer, born in 1972. He mixes Ambient, Electronica, Glitch, modern classical and Breakbeat, and is a member of the projects Ab Ovo and The Prayer Tree.

“Hora Fugit” was released on February 11, 2026 through Hymen Records on CD and digital. The eleven-track album gathers new material with reworked versions of earlier pieces, among them “urban sand (spring version)”, “carried (winter version)” and “she is behind (full moon version)”. Anatoly Grinberg handled mastering and Stefan Alt created the artwork.

“Hora Fugit”, reviewed here, is Chassagnard’s latest full-length under his own name.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

French artist Jérôme Chassagnard remains highly productive, returning with four new tracks.

Born in Asia —likely a reference to his own origins— translates musically into a fusion of slow Trip-Hop rhythms layered with atmospheric Ambient textures. A rich palette of sounds and effects shapes the composition, while occasional oriental vocal fragments further emphasize the theme.

With this release, Jérôme Chassagnard delivers a cool creative work —perhaps even one of his most accessible to date. (Rating:7).

Listen to “Floating Cities”:

About Jérôme Chassagnard

Jérôme Chassagnard is a French musician and composer born in 1972, now living in Asia. His work spans Ambient, Electronica, Glitch, Modern Classical, Breakbeat, and Experimental styles, and he is also a member of Ab Ovo and The Prayer Tree.

“Asian Breaks”, a four-track digital EP released through Hymen Records, is led by the track “Floating Cities”.

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Experimental.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: French artist Jérôme Chassagnard has already worked around different concepts, this second EP in the “Tales Of The Piano”-series dealing about an imaginary ‘atmospheric bridge between natural field recordings and tales of a piano’. This EP reveals three new songs, which come one year after the first chapter.

Content: The concept is easy and perfectly adapted into the songs. The dominant sound of the work is the piano performance, creating a kind of reverie and manifest Cinematographic style. Quite progressively you’ll hear the field recordings palette featuring different noises like birds, whispering vocals ao.

+ + + : This music brings you an imaginary movie, where you’ve to create your own images and universe. It’s totally suited as music for a visual theme and/or performance. The piano play is delicate and creates an evasive effect.

– – – : The point with digital EP’s is that it sometimes remains pretty short. I would have preferred to get an album featuring all songs from this EP-series instead of separate works.

Conclusion: Jérôme Chassagnard brings us a part of dreamy music mixed with an Experimental touch on top.

Best songs: “From The Very Beginning”.

Rate: 6.

Artist: https://myspace.com/jeromechassagnard

Label: www.hymen-records.com / www.facebook.com/hymenrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Experimental, Industrial.

Format: Digital, CD.

Background/Info: Geoffroy Sallustin is already active for several years as Neptunian8. “Pareidolia” is the Belgian artist’s third full length album, which appears to be inspired by pareidolia, which can be explained as ‘the tendency for incorrect perception of a stimulus as an object, pattern or meaning known to the observer, such as seeing shapes in clouds, seeing faces in inanimate objects or abstract patterns, or hearing hidden messages in music.’

Content: This album sounds like a perfect sonic osmosis between different influences; there for sure is a very strong –and leading, cinematographic format, which is joined by industrial sounds, electronic manipulations, truly experimental sonic collages and even vocal parts. Several guest artists contributed to the work and among the list there’s Jérôme Chassagnard. The work is pretty diversified and progressively evolving towards a final part, which is more industrial/electro wise.

+ + + : Several songs are featuring piano sounds, which inject a noticeable and sensitive touch to the work. It creates melancholia at the opening cut “The Deeper But Standing”, but also an artistic- and evasive style. It also injects an authentic sensation to the work. The piano sounds also create a delicious contrast with some more bombastic rhythms. I however have a preference for the sophisticated “Remember” featuring Jérôme Chassagnard and the more industrial sounding “Splenetic” featuring Offset Zik.  I also want to catch your attention for the great artwork of the CD.

– – – : The experimental side of the album is not the most convincing one, like creating a kind of anti-climax. Luckily it only concerns a few cuts.

Conclusion: “Pareidolia” makes me think of a painting, which resulted from the harmony between different colors.

Best songs: “Splenetic feat. Offset Zik”, “Remember feat. Jérôme Chassagnard”, “Prosopagnosie”, “G#m Ghostship”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: www.neptunian8.bandcamp.com

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Electro-ambient, experimental, cinematographic.

Format: Digital.

Background/Info: French artist Jérôme Chassagnard last year started with an EP series devoted to the elements of nature. He now seems to have taken a break to get back to his childhood.

Content: The artist delivers 4 new cuts, which are inspired by the memories of his childhood. That’s an aspect that comes particularly through at the second cut (cf. “A Song For Children”). There’s something pretty childish running through this cut, like sounds that are immediately catching the attention of kids. But globally the work remains in the purest sound tradition of this artist. There’s a solid ambient/cinematographic sphere supporting the work while the use of piano and violin sounds like injecting some authenticity and intimacy into the work. But there also is something more experimental, even a bit abstract. It creates a minimal touch, which also has something dark –accentuated by spooky vocal effects, and yet it all remains dreamy-like

+ + + : Jérôme Chassagnard has progressively created his own style, which is a truly fusion between different influences. I like the evasive sensation of the work, which mainly emerges at the opening cut, but also at the last one. There is also something to say about the darker and ghost-like “Breath”. The use of real instrument-sounds is clearly          adding a little extra to this work.

– – – : I’m not a huge fan of the childish experiment (cf. “A Song For Children”) although it perfectly fits the concept of the work.

Conclusion: From the more serious EP-series dedicated to nature to a sonic voyage throughout the artist’s childhood, the result remains a truly ambient music voyage. 

Best songs: “Create”, “Calm”.

Rate: (7).

Artist: https://myspace.com/jeromeabovo

Label: www.hymen-records.com / www.facebook.com/hymenrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com

Genre/Influences: Experimental, electro-ambient, cinematographic.

Background/Info: French artist Jérôme Chassagnard already released four albums on Hymen Records and started last year with an EP-series inspired by elements of nature. After “Sea” it’s time to explore the “Wind” resulting in four tracks.

Content: The theme of the record inspired the artist to work with like  wind instruments like the flute, wind chimes and voices. Entering the sound universe of this artist and “Wind” feels like moving throughout an imaginary tunnel vision where electronic sounds, field recordings and the sound of authentic instruments are leading the listener into an abstract universe. The addition of shimmering female vocals at “Carried” creates a strong cinematic sensation reminding me to the mysterious world of “Twin Peaks”.

+ + + : This record has something pretty intimate and feels relaxing. It’s melting influences together and especially the cinematographic and abstract sensation are emerging at the surface. I like the delicacy of the treatments and “Carried” featuring these female vocals is a real master cut.

– – – : I got the impression there’s even more in this record than what came out.

Conclusion: “Wind” is a delicious electro-experimental caress.

Best songs: “Carried”, “Gone With The Wind”.

Rate: (7½).

Label: www.hymen–records.com / www.facebook.com/hymenrecords

Inferno Sound Diaries

I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.

www.side-line.com