Autour de la Lune

Autour de la Lune (2004) represents a pivot for Geir Jenssen (Biosphere) from the 'arctic ambient' of Substrata toward a more conceptual, drone-focused aesthetic. Commissioned by Radio France Culture for the Jules Verne centenary, the work was originally a radio broadcast before being refined for this CD release. Sonically, it is one of Jenssen's most minimal and challenging works, eschewing the melodic 'downtempo' elements of his earlier 90s output in favor of pure frequency exploration and long-form loops. The album is structured around the narrative of Verne's 'From the Earth to the Moon' and 'Around the Moon,' utilizing samples from a French radio dramatization. It stands as a bridge between his environmental ambient works and his later, more abstract experiments. Critics often highlight the album's ability to evoke the 'grey' and 'dusty' nature of the moon, moving away from the 'blue' and 'white' tones of his previous mountain-themed records.