On Tuesday evening at the SAT, the first installment of MUTEK’s Nocturnes opened with a spellbinding performance in which Yu Su’s music and Myriam Boucher’s visuals came together in a compelling dialogue between fluid sound and luminous vortexes. From the very first moments, we were immersed in a universe that was both intimate and expansive, where each gesture seemed to resonate with the previous one.
Yu Su’s live set began delicately, setting the tone with a shifting ambient backdrop, where a push-and-pull effect created by the interaction of the kick drum and airy synth evoked the sound of waves lapping against the shore. From the very first seconds, it was clear that Yu Su was inviting us to share in a collective dream, guided by delicate melodies and a dreamlike exploration.
Quickly, this state of microgravity shifted to the dance floor, propelled by pulsating house-style percussion. These changes in mood, characterized by unexpected contrasts, would mark the entire evening. Yu Su plays with the principle of fluidity, demonstrating a unique sensitivity for musical narration: a state of flux where motifs unfold endlessly, transporting us to a new world of sound.
Whether it’s ambient techno, progressive electronic, microhouse, experimental, or Balearic beat, Yu Su infuses it with a tangible, hypnotic, and lush atmosphere.
Visually, Montreal artist Myriam Boucher created an environment that perfectly resonated with the music, translating Yu Su’s intuition and emotions into a colorful tapestry. The meta-narrative, carried by a palette dominated by magenta, purple, and pink, enveloped the emotional and intuitive dimension of the performance: gentleness, innocence, romanticism, intimacy, creativity, and transformation, to name but a few.
Illustrating the idea of a journey with no specific destination, both expansive and playful, the visual flow unfolded in cyclical, hypnotic movements, creating a rhythmic back-and-forth with great magnetic power. These flows sometimes took the form of an abstract vortex with a mineral appearance, reminiscent of cave motifs or a shower of stars, but also the fluid momentum of brushstrokes gliding across a canvas.
This encounter between two worlds offered a moment suspended in time, where music and images intertwined to open up a space for inner travel, with no specific destination but rich in shared sensations.
