Behind The Mask by Julien Tassin

Julien Tassin | Heikki Ruokangas

Behind The Mask

Price: € 19.95
Format: CD
Label: Challenge Records
UPC: 0608917361025
Catnr: CR 73610
Release date: 29 August 2025
Preorder

1 CD	€ 19.95	Preorder

Label
Challenge Records

UPC
0608917361025

Catalogue number
CR 73610

Release date
29 August 2025

Album

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

About the album

Out of a mutual love of spontaneousness and raw emotions, Belgian guitarist Julien Tassin and Finnish guitarist Heikki Ruokangas decided to start creating music together. As two guitars aiming to sound like one.

The two guitarists met while they were both signed to the Australian avant- garde label Ramble Records. As they talked on Instagram, they wanted to play music together, so they travelled, Julien to Finland and Heikki to Belgium, bringing different cultures and influences together but also realizing they have a lot in common. Both studied classical music and traditional jazz before entering the improvisational music world and both share a musical vision.

In their music, the concrete and the abstract can co-exist at each moment. Melodic lines are combined with atonal sounds for an organic and exploratory approach to the acoustic guitar. Just like life itself, the music of this duo is full of both beauty and beast. And, just like the players, it has a playful sense of humor to it.

Der belgische Gitarrist Julien Tassin und der finnische Gitarrist Heikki Ruokangas haben eine gemeinsame Vorliebe für Spontaneität und ungekünstelte Emotionen. Wie zwei Gitarren, die wie eine klingen sollen.
Die beiden Gitarristen lernten sich kennen, als sie beide beim australischen Avantgarde-Label Ramble Records unter Vertrag standen. Als sie sich auf Instagram unterhielten, wollten sie gemeinsam Musik machen, also reisten sie, Julien nach Finnland und Heikki nach Belgien, um verschiedene Kulturen und Einflüsse zusammenzubringen, aber auch um zu entdecken, dass sie viel gemeinsam haben. Beide haben klassische Musik und traditionellen Jazz studiert, bevor sie in die Welt der improvisierten Musik eintauchten.
In ihrer Musik können Konkretes und Abstraktes jederzeit nebeneinander existieren. Melodische Linien werden mit atonalen Klängen kombiniert, um einen organischen und forschenden Zugang zur akustischen Gitarre zu schaffen. Wie das Leben selbst ist die Musik dieses Duos schön und wild zugleich. Und wie die Musiker hat sie einen spielerischen Sinn für Humor.

Artist(s)

Julien Tassin (guitar)

Julien Tassin is an exploratory guitarist from Belgium dedicated to improvised and expressive original music. He has established himself as one of the most creative and committed guitarists in Europe who values the expressive power and potential of music. With a dedication to strong, lyrical melodies and beautiful themes, he creates an original language and tasteful musical landscape that draws on minimalism, ambient, blues, avant-garde, rock and jazz. His playing is raw, organic, emotional, expressive and above all uncompromising whether he is playing solo or fronting his own band. Through his compositions and improvisations he's constantly in search of essence and purity and strives to push music boundaries. To date, Julien has released several albums, solo, in trio (with Nicolas Thys and...

His playing is raw, organic, emotional, expressive and above all uncompromising whether he is playing solo or fronting his own band. Through his compositions and improvisations he's constantly in search of essence and purity and strives to push music boundaries.

To date, Julien has released several albums, solo, in trio (with Nicolas Thys and Dré Pallemaerts) and with his rock band run SOFA. Recently, his trio was expanded to a quartet featuring the American trumpet player Jason Palmer and performing live with American-Eritrean Hermon Mehari. His trio Tassin - Hermia - Joris (with Manuel Hermia and Chris Joris) is set to release new music this fall.

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Heikki Ruokangas

Heikki Ruokangas (b. 1987) is an innovative guitarist, composer and improviser from Finland. His music is a dialogue between melody and noise, shifting from soothing and sensitive moments to violent avant-garde expression, to distinct melodies and atonal motifs. Ruokangas draws his inspiration from avant-garde, contemporary, and traditional jazz as well as from his native Finnish musical heritage and traditions. He's performed in United States and throughout Europe and has released over 20 collaborative and solo recordings.

Heikki Ruokangas (b. 1987) is an innovative guitarist, composer and improviser from Finland. His music is a dialogue between melody and noise, shifting from soothing and sensitive moments to violent avant-garde expression, to distinct melodies and atonal motifs. Ruokangas draws his inspiration from avant-garde, contemporary, and traditional jazz as well as from his native Finnish musical heritage and traditions. He's performed in United States and throughout Europe and has released over 20 collaborative and solo recordings.

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