UMI an experience of electronic surrealism
UMI an experience of electronic surrealism : Before, Umi* had a unique journey. Beneath its current appearance, this composition has a deep connection to the ocean—a discreet but fundamental connection...
About fifteen years ago…
Umi was born in unusual circumstances. The music was composed for a campaign to defend the dolphins of Taiji, Japan.
La Dolphin Connection, an organization I have supported since its inception, was one of the groups involved in this initiative. The main goal was to help Richard (Ric) O’Barry travel to Taiji and to facilitate the Japanese translation of the documentary “The Cove“. The action was successfully completed.
UMI an experience of electronic surrealism : A few years later…
Over time, Umi fell into oblivion. Until one day, I had the idea of reusing it to create two video fragments inspired by manga/anime aesthetics.
Seduced by this initial visual exploration, I then felt the need to go further. The resulting music video is not a continuation of these fragments, but a work of electronic surrealism in its own right—poetic, mysterious, evocative, sometimes silent.
The images speak for themselves. Like an obscure text, Umi can be watched and listened to several times: one meaning reveals itself, while others remain hidden, ready to emerge over time.
UMI an experience of electronic surrealism : an open work
It was an essential wish. Umi can be listened to and watched at any age.
His militant past is never explicitly revealed. He remains deliberately discreet, perceptible only through certain signs and resonances. Umi remains above all an artistic work, open to interpretation. Numerous references to Japanese culture appear throughout the video clip, without ever imposing a single interpretation.
What if Umi was just the beginning?
Umi is not the only composition in my universe to bear Asian influences. Other works will follow.
In the meantime, Umi is available on Spotify, and YouTube, where you can also watch the music video. You can also check it out below :
Xhenon, February 2026
* Umi means “ocean” in Japanese
** Would you like to learn more about electronic surrealism? Visit this page dedicated to this musical genre.