Le Silence de l’Exode

French clarinettist Yom has made seven albums that reflect an eclectic spirit that defies categorisation, underlining the malleability of his instrument. His latest release – loosely inspired by the three-score years his Jewish ancestors endured in Old Testament Sinaï – underlines his clarinet's ability to gel with different musical and instrumental repertoires. The Iranian percussion of Bijan Chemirani, double bass of Claude Tchamitchian and Oriental cello wielded by Farid D all find ample expression alongside Yom's soaring clarinet. Le Silence de l’Exode was originally commissioned by the Île de France festival in 2012 and Yom successfully recreated a live feel via a one-take, minimal editing studio recording. The result is a far cry from the electronic mixtures Yom created in Green Apocalypse (2012), the rock-infused Unue (2009) or the intimate klezmer sounds of The Golem on the Moon (2004). This ambitious tapestry is a pleasant homage to distant roots through instruments forging a common language that is smoothly meditative and uplifting.