The Paradox – Counter Active

“Paradox” means a doubtful statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.

The objective of The Paradox comes from a common belief between Dary and Mills that with uncompromising freedom and means in which new ideas can be born, the two are able to focus on reaching a higher level of spiritual consciousness through their works. Each composition has been created and recorded in real-time. Meaning, the result of spontaneous actions that are confounded to be true and honest.

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When a spark ignites between two musicians, the state of flow can be achieved. Usually, a fleeting sensation, but when captured, it is an unstoppable force. The coming together of Jeff Mills and Jean-Phi Dary came from a collaborative project with the late great Tony Allen and created chemistry instantly. Both being cognizant of the skilled innate improvisation that was happening in small jam sessions, they conceived the concept for their collaborative project: The Paradox. They believed that this uncompromising freedom and the manifestation of new ideas allowed them to reach a higher level of spiritual consciousness within their work. Recorded in real-time; these compositions reflect captured spontaneous actions which concede honesty and truth.

Jean-Phi Dary is an enriched musical soul of Guyanese descent. The French artist has rhythm infused with his being, taking influence from his father’s taste in Afro Cuban and Kompa music, in which he fused with his desire for jazz, reggae and funk. This melting pot of rhythm manifested in the organ initially, before playing bass in a Caribbean orchestra. The multi-instrument musician had an indubitable flare for keyboard and piano and began to make waves in clubs in the 1980s in the south of France before moving to Paris. Proving to be the catalyst of his musical journey, he has played and collaborated with the likes of Papa Wemba, Peter Gabriel, Paco Sery and Phoenix. With a career spanning decades, it has taken him everywhere playing afrobeat, jazz, soul and a plethora of others, all the while contributing to over twenty albums.

Jeff Mills is known the world over, performing in nearly all four corners of the globe. Cutting his teeth during a legendary precursory period of techno in Detroit, as The Wizard, he became an influential figure with the Underground Resistance. Mills soon took shape as a multifaced artist moulded by his passion for space and science-fiction. He launched the legendary Axis label in 1992, and his reach started to broaden over the occurring decades. A mercurial talent, he has countless collaborations such as Emile Parisien, Mikhail Rudy, Mari Samuelsen, Jean-Michel Jarre and Tony Allen, over a myriad of fields: cine-mixes, orchestral concerts, DVD projects and performances in prestige art institutions. Critically recognised by his peers, in 2017 he was bestowed an Officier of the Order of Arts and Letters by ex-minister of Culture Jack Lang at Institut du Monde Arabe. These distinguished honours were due to his contributions to the Arts and whose work has immensely enriched French culture.

Credits:  
Keyboards/ Synthesizer:  Jean-Phi Dary
Drum Machine /Synthesizer:  Jeff Mills
Guitar  (on track A):  Herve Samb

Recorded at Studio Ferber, One Two Pass It, Midilive Studios, MKD Studio, Paris
Studio Engineers:  Guillaume DuJardin (Studio Ferber), Laurent de Boisgisson (One two pass it), Hugo  Bracchi (Midilive),  Mixing Engineer: Steve Kovacs Co-Mixing Engineer: Jeff Mills
Produced by Axis Records and Many Kind Designs
All compositions are written by Jeff Mills and Jean-Philippe Dary.
© 2021 Axis Records