We Speak Music
Nathan Zanagar Drops Stunning New EP ‘La Grande Salle’
Some artists chase trends. Others chase truth. On his new EP La Grande Salle, Nathan Zanagar does neither — he builds worlds. The five-track release is a daring statement of artistic independence, emotional clarity, and sheer pop ambition. If vulnerability had a beat, it would sound like this.
Each track feels like a different door in a sprawling sonic mansion. Open one, and you’re met with shimmering synths that pulse like city lights at 3 a.m. Open another, and there’s a raw voice, almost trembling, whispering confessions into the void. The project embraces extremes — soft and loud, light and dark, logic and longing — and stitches them into a cohesive whole.
Zanagar’s bilingual performance adds even more dimension. In English, he’s direct and sharp-edged; in French, his tone softens into something tender and poetic. It’s not just a flex — it’s a reflection of how identity itself can’t be pinned to one language or one sound. He’s telling multiple stories at once, layered like harmonies.
The EP’s emotional centerpiece is its willingness to sit in discomfort. One song aches for a friend. Another pulses with self-doubt hidden behind glittering production. Rather than mask the truth, Zanagar amplifies it — letting imperfections and contradictions shine like disco lights off mirrored walls. It’s healing disguised as high art.
Beyond the music, Zanagar’s visual storytelling is just as compelling. Every video is self-directed, making the project feel like a unified installation — a gallery of sound and movement. The fact that he plants trees when not creating only deepens the sense that this is an artist rooted in care, both for the world and for the self.
La Grande Salle isn’t easy background listening — and that’s the point. It’s immersive, charged, and often uncomfortably honest. But if you’re willing to enter its prism, you might just see yourself in a new light.
Commenting on the project, Nathan Zanagar shares, “These are the most unapologetic songs I’ve ever made. I wanted to push everything further: the emotions, the stories, the sound. This is me, entirely”.
We Speak Music
Christian Balvig releases gorgeous new album ‘Find And You Will Seek’ in collaboration with Ensemble Hermes.
Acclaimed composer and arranger Christian Balvig is known for his work with an array of artists and bands like Jade, Efterklang, Lowly, When Saints Go Machine and Mew, as well as his work with some of the most acclaimed orchestras like Royal Northern Sinfonia (BBC Proms), The Royal Danish Orchestra, Copenhagen Phil, London Contemporary Orchestra, The Danish Radio Broadcast Orchestra and The Norwegian Wind Ensemble.
The cinematic sound on his new album might echo Balvig’s work in the world of film and TV music. Scoring the 2025 Oscar shortlisted short movie ‘Eternal Father’ and the Danish hit series ‘Cry Wolf’ (Ulven Kommer), which has been shown on television in more than 30 countries around the globe, including Channel 4 in the UK. He was also nominated for a Harpa award for ‘Best score’ last year at the Berlinale for ‘The Son and the Moon (Min Arv Bor I Dig)’.
Balvig’s new album, ‘Find And You Will Seek’, backed by Danish string group Ensemble Hermes, grew organically out of this background of experiences and is music that appeals to listeners seeking original, immersive music with space for reflection and contemplation.
‘Find And You Will Seek’ is a collection of chamber works that explore the combination of piano and strings in new ways. Recent single ‘The BirdSuite II – Praesentia’ is part of a 3-part Suite running throughout the record, written and performed on a custom made “Keybird” piano, which is an una-corda (one string pr note) piano that gives a more subtle and intimate sound. On top of it is a lush and emotional string ensemble arrangement with Ensemble Hermes in multiple layers fluctuating in and out of the keybird piano.
Balvig’s second single from the record is ‘What Happened To The World’, an ultra transparent neo-classical inspired piece, with slow melodic structures, a simple chord progression and emotional performance starting with a floating viola solo. It is written from the feeling that the world sometimes goes backwards, and you feel left on the platform wanting to take the train in a different direction.
From film music inspired pieces to experimental chamber music over piano concerto inspired movements, to more neo-classical productions with almost orchestral sounding dubs of strings, ‘Find And You Will Seek’ flows with emotions and lush sound worlds, always with a tangible organic texture.
Find Christian Balvig and Ensemble Hermes on tour in Denmark:
27.5 Ansgars Kirke (Odense)
28.5 Folkegaarden Festival (Aalborg)
29.5 Gnisten (Ry)
30.5 Musikhuset (Aarhus)
1.6 Basement (Copenhagen)
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