pyur: oratorio for the underworld

Munich's PYUR (Sophie Schnell) makes her Subtext debut with Oratorio For The Underworld, a nimble odyssey through vivid, otherworldly dreams. Growing up immersed in her family's work as shamans, Schnell draws on the techniques and stories of her upbringing, through which ephemeral forms, stories, and colors seep into her sound -- a synthesis of hyperreal sound design, dramaturgy, and classical composition. PYUR's fascination with the space between life and death is expressed through the weaving together of the organic and sublime in a dramatic exercise in expansive sonic worldbuilding. The album is a form of storytelling in which Schnell reimagines and takes on the role of psychopomp, ushering the listener into a borderless realm. She relays rich legends while warm, airy timbres (courtesy of cellist Teresa Alvarez and violinist Juan Zalba Fuentes) serve as guides throughout. Working largely in isolation over a period of two years, Oratorio For The Underworld is a document of "inward archaeology", and marks an intimate yet grandiose journey through the psyche, exploring the ecstatic emotional boundaries between life and death, and body and spirit. Since the release of her debut record, Epoch Sinus, on Hotflush in 2016, PYUR has been active performing internationally at festivals such as Berlin's Atonal and Tasmania's Dark Mofo. She is currently at work on a collaboration with the French choreographer Benjamin Bertrand developing a piece called "La Fin Des Fôrets", which will be performed in summer 2020.