Sairen – Penumbra – EPK Portal / Fluttery Records

Words by Taner Torun

Penumbra marks the seventh album by Sairen, the guitar-driven post-rock project by Guillaume De Marqué from Brittany, France.

Composed between 2023 and 2024, the album showcases ten tracks crafted with a slow tempo, inviting deep introspection and exploration. Drawing inspiration from the concept of chiaroscuro, a painting technique that contrasts light and shadow to create depth, the music mirrors these contrasts through subtle tonal shifts, invoking a profound sense of light and darkness.

Guillaume explains: “The original idea of a song can be a guitar riff, a melodic phrase, or a rhythmic pattern,” citing the track “Division” as an example of a piece where the rhythm creates the feeling of acceleration through a unique note duration pattern.”

Recorded amidst the windswept, misty landscapes of Brittany, Penumbra blends dark, melodic guitar riffs and arpeggios with occasional brass instrumentation, such as in “Bradycardie” and the ethereal “One Last Hour.” Electro elements also find their place, notably in the atmospheric “Yonaka” and the closing track, “Grace in Darkness.” These moments enrich the album’s evolving sound and add soaring layers to its otherwise haunting atmosphere.

Tracks like “Métamorphose” showcase the album’s nuanced character, starting with a slow, brooding tempo and building into a playful finale with delay guitars, electro arpeggios, and a liberated rhythm.

For this album, Sairen enlisted the seasoned expertise of Magnus Lindberg for mixing and mastering, enhancing the album’s dynamic range and bringing clarity to its intricate soundscapes.

Penumbra delivers a captivating journey through dramatic and serene moments, offering a guitar-heavy sound that is both contemplative and introspective, drawing the listener into its evocative layers.

Sairen is a French composer whose music explores the intersection of seemingly disparate worlds, blending the elegance of Baroque and Romantic music with the intensity of dark metal and post-rock. His journey into music began at the age of fifteen, when he first encountered computer music—an experience that would lay the foundation for his creative path. Since then, Sairen has cultivated a deep sensitivity to a wide range of musical genres, each of which informs his distinctive sound.

Drawing from a rich and harmonious sonic language, Sairen creates powerful, contemplative music that flows between post-rock, orchestral, and electronic realms. His compositions are marked by occasional nods to Classical structures, while also incorporating amplified and electronic instruments to evoke a raw emotional force. The result is a deeply atmospheric and expressive sound, where each piece becomes an invitation to embark on a tumultuous and uncertain journey through contrasting textures of light and darkness.

Sairen’s approach to composition is both intense and focused. As he describes it, “Most of my songs are composed in two intense uninterrupted days. Beyond, the bright freshness evaporates and the process of creation becomes more laborious.” This commitment to the immediate and visceral nature of his creative process infuses his music with a sense of urgency and authenticity, creating an emotionally charged listening experience.

With his ability to bridge the gap between classical refinement and modern intensity, Sairen has become known for his bold, alternative instrumental pieces that invite listeners to explore the complexities of the human experience, from beauty to chaos.

EPK Portal / Fluttery Records

Sairen’s Penumbra is a contemplative journey through heavy guitar driven post-rock soundscapes

Penumbra blends dark, melodic guitar riffs and arpeggios with occasional brass instrumentation

ABOUT SAIREN