Majeure

The project of <a href="spotify:artist:5wb5QmufzBWk1wkmw2qtDJ">Zombi</a>'s A.E. Paterra, Majeure -- which takes its name from the <a href="spotify:artist:1BGN1IdyiSR0ZYrkoKNchl">Tangerine Dream</a> album Force Majeure -- delves into a slightly different realm of electronic-leaning prog rock than his work with <a href="spotify:artist:7kcEevbRjcqtpjVgoYcq05">Steve Moore</a>, instead exploring a more atmospheric approach. Along with shared <a href="spotify:artist:5wb5QmufzBWk1wkmw2qtDJ">Zombi</a> influences such as <a href="spotify:artist:1BGN1IdyiSR0ZYrkoKNchl">Tangerine Dream</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5MhLmv7GgyjbxGqiIGasvT">Jean Michel Jarre</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:4P70aqttdpJ9vuYFDmf7f6">Vangelis</a>, Paterra draws Majeure's inspiration from <a href="spotify:artist:0hxQtmgWiPtEsDPeIuKxXq">John Carpenter</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1aVONoJ0EM97BB26etc1vo">Steve Reich</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:69lxxQvsfAIoQbB20bEPFC">Philip Glass</a>, and Can, as well as authors <a href="spotify:artist:4NCU7Ke4zRYtTYe3VR5A97">Philip K. Dick</a> and William Gibson. When <a href="spotify:artist:7kcEevbRjcqtpjVgoYcq05">Moore</a>'s prolific songwriting made him decide to start releasing music on his own as well as continue with <a href="spotify:artist:5wb5QmufzBWk1wkmw2qtDJ">Zombi</a>, Paterra decided to follow suit. After <a href="spotify:artist:5wb5QmufzBWk1wkmw2qtDJ">Zombi</a> toured with the like-minded <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Temporary+Residence%22">Temporary Residence</a> band <a href="spotify:artist:4qQyS8N0BHNkGQRi8xsha8">Maserati</a>, he found a home for Majeure's debut album, 2009's Timespan. The following year saw the release of Timespan Remixes, which featured reworkings of the album's tracks by Black Strobe, Jesu's Justin Broadrick and <a href="spotify:artist:7kcEevbRjcqtpjVgoYcq05">Moore</a>, who also joined Paterra on the 2011 EP Synthesizer of the Gods and 2012's split album Brainstorm. That October, the second Majeure album, Solar Maximum, reflected a more ambient side of the project. Paterra went further in this direction with 2014's Termination Shock, a cold, minimal set issued by the French label Music Fear Satan.

For the rest of the 2010s, Paterra juggled his duties in <a href="spotify:artist:5wb5QmufzBWk1wkmw2qtDJ">Zombi</a> and Contact, the duo he formed with filmmaker/musician Paul Lawler, with his work as Majeure. Following tours with <a href="spotify:artist:34UhPkLbtFKRq3nmfFgejG">Mogwai</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:12cKwxUl6Ku3VpSB3LjrM5">S U R V I V E</a>, in 2017 Paterra released the complex, percussive Apex EP. He commemorated Majeure's 10th anniversary with Timespan Redux, a remixed and remastered version of the project's debut album, in 2018. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi