About
sarah & Michael
Releases
Out 1st of November 2024
Bidibidi
PrologUE EP
Bamako
PrologUE EP
Juba
prologUE EP
The Missions
Journeys That
Shaped Our Sound
Each mission, a story. Each story, a track blended with poetry.
Central African Republic
Bangui
I spent 6 months in Bangui, just after the second civil war.
From the house to a car, from a car to a house, everyday not seeing more than the height of walls surrounding us. Protection they say. Hearing behind them bullets dancing in the air, hearing every single noise as a threat, seing every single human upset. Fear and despair on every look. Having the river as my only hook. Feeling freedom when the horizon appears. Feeling blossom when the river from the sun is besmear.
The track includes recording of MSF security radio room. Every car movement (arrival to hospital, safely passing check points etc.) we had to report back to the radio room if all was fine. It also includes recordings of the Adungu, a stringed musical instrument, played in some areas of Central African Republic. The intro of the song is marked by field recordings of the street of Bangui.
6 MONTHs
Uganda
This was the second mission for me. Bidibidi is a South Sudanese Refugee Settlement in Northern Uganda, which at the time hosted about 280,000 refugees. For 3 months I worked on a research project on cholera prevention. In the midst of breathtaking nature, I saw for the first time what a real humanitarian emergency looks like.
But what I was most impressed by was the resilience of the South Sudanese refugees. How they managed to transform a refugee camp into a living city that above all allows a life in dignity after escaping a brutal civil war in South Sudan – this is Bidibidi.
The track includes field recordings of birds that were such a strong memory of my stay in Bidibidi.
South sudan
Juba
One day when I was working in Juba I woke up with the memory of a powerful dream. Immediately, I recorded the dream before forgetting it. A dream reflecting the daily reality of life in Juba… Some months ago I gave the recording to Michael, who immediately spend several nights turning this dream into musical reality.
3 MONTHs and 16 MONTHs
Iraq
I spent 20 months in Iraq (2019/2020). What an intense time that was. I got to know countless interesting places, devastating stories and wonderful people.
I have particularly strong memories of Sinjar. An area in northern Iraq where the Yazidis live and experienced another genocide with the Islamic State. With Doctors of the World we supported some clinics in the area and worked with the local ministry of health. I will never forget the story of a doctor when he described his father's kidnapping by the Islamic State.
This track is accompanied by melancholy and nostalgic tones and describes my awakening on the roof of our "guest house" in Sinjar, where I slept at the time because it was too hot in the house.
Mali
Bamako
In Mali I have spent 6 months divided in two very different period of time. I was going there to experience the Mali we sell on TV, malian Kora, malian music one of the most recognized in the world. The contradiction between Bamako and the rest of the county striked me. The quite and alive Bamako made me live exceptional local experience, far away from the malian artists producing music for the white european festivals. I got to realize when a colleague of mine told me: "the malian artist you listen to are the one producing music to be famous and sell in Europe". Then Covid stroke our routine and malian experience was limited to the walls of my house and my office.
Mali for me is a profusion of light Kora notes, very peaceful people and one of the most quite capital i have been to. Red color pathway all over the city. Animals waiting there under the sun forever. Six entire months without a single drop of rain. Couples going to church with their scooter in beautiful outfits.
6 MONTHs
Democratic Republic of Congo
Congo Kinshasa is a massive city of 18 Million people, content noise of cars and shouting, background loud Rumba on speakers, dark terrasse, plastic chairs and heavy rain in Bandal, wetness from morning to night, blazing sun, raging river and easy friendship. Despite one of the poorest countries of the world, one of the most powerful country, diverse, flashy, resilient, anger. Kinshasa is a massive human experience, beyond the impossible, life remains everywhere in the mind and in the hearts.
Sudan
Damazin, Blue Nile
I spent 3 months in Sudan in 2022. It was a remarkable experience to work in Damazin. I have truly never encountered people as gentle and polite than in Damazin. Damazin is a vibrant city stretching along the Blue Nile in the southern part of Sudan– not far from the South Sudan and Ethiopia border. Affected by sudden tribal clashes while I was there, I witnessed how quickly conflict can create suffering and misery. Nevertheless, my MSF colleagues worked tirelessly to help the displaced communities and avoid a disease outbreak in a cholera endemic area.
I also have a very strong memory of playing chess. The countless nights I spent with Fathi, a Sudanese colleague and friend, drinking tea and playing chess. Fathi is a shining example of Sudanese youth, so committed to improve life in his community. I am still in touch with him on regular basis to exchange news.
This track includes recordings of Sudanese women singing in local Berta language about peace in the Blue Nile region. It was specifically recorded for the Ësenaim. project by Fathi.
3 MONTHs
Haiti
4th of October 2022. The first time I reach a country and my thought is "this is worse than what I expected". I will never forget that car ride from the airport to the MSF accommodation. Empty streets, burning tires, constant gunfire could be heard, dead bodies on the street and the fear of cholera in the air. 3 months of mission going to my absolute limit to help controlling the cholera outbreak: late night shifts, 7km helicopter rides to avoid a gang-controlled area, cholera treatment centers with hundreds of patients… but…the resilience of my Haitian colleagues. To not escape Haiti. To not run. To not take that illegal migration route.
The track includes sample recordings of gunshots, ambulances but also birds flying and Kompa, (traditional Haitian music). The introduction of the track is the recording of a poem written and recorded by a Haitian Poet who we are collaborating with (Menji). She wrote the poem after the 2010 earthquake that devastated Port au Prince.
Haiti
Port a Piment
Port a Piment is a small town in Southern Haiti – far away from troubled Port au Prince. I spent most of my second mission in Haiti (2023) in Port a Piment. By quite some margin the most beautiful and mysterious place I have worked in. Port a piment – the port of spices - being paradise compared to gang-controlled Port au Prince. A small village that hundreds of years ago was a spice trade hotspot in the Caribbean. Now a poor fishing town, surrounded by mystical mountains with stunning beauty.
This track is a love track full of controversial feelings. It is on the way to Port a Piment that I met Sarah and fell in love. Butterflies in the midst of a mystic context.
occupied Palestinian territories
We have both been working for Gaza since October 7, 2023. Sarah in the "Emergency Team" spent the first three months from Paris finding ways to bring essential medical supplies to the MSF clinics in Gaza. Michael spent a month in Jerusalem and the West Bank in May 2024 to prepare the team in Gaza for a possible cholera and measles outbreak.
It is probably the most emotional work we have done to date. The misery we witnessed day after day knows no boundaries.
A few months ago, we contacted "Gaza Poet Society". They were enthusiastic about our album and art performance project and wrote and recorded multiple poems for us. Michael then processed the recordings into four tracks that reflect the reality in Gaza today.
Poetry
BIDIBIDI
S'étourdir de lumière
Marcher vers la vie
Remplir l'âme de beauté
Étouffer les cris
JUBA
Pluie diluvienne
Fraicheur dilettante
Saison soudaine
Nouvelle glaçante
Vivre en haleine
Triste sentence
Mourir sans peine
Les flammes ravivent nos êtres
Dans l'âtre s'embrase l'inanité
Les cendres seules restent
De la vie d'antan gonflée d'iniquité
Les vagues de l'esprit suivent le feu
Vogue, l'âme vers de nouveaux cieux
Nos rêves sont immortels
Solides comme des ridelles
L'incendie des idées poussera toujours à l'exil.
BAMAKO
Noyer l'ennui avec les nuits
Courir dans ses rêves
S'affranchir des malheurs qu'on essuie
Changer sa mue comme une trêve
Vibrer de l'idée qui mûrit
De voir tes yeux qui achèvent
L'ouragan de mon être et la pluie
Drown boredom with nights
Running in your dreams
Free ourselves from the misfortunes
Change your moult like a truce
Vibrate with the idea that matures
To see your eyes which finish
The hurricane in my soul and the rain