The Sator Arepo, or Sator Square, is an ancient word puzzle comprising five palindromes that's etched on various historical sites throughout the Western world. It's origins are unknown, but the square has long been thought to hold magical properties, used as a charm against illness and evil, to cure insanity or to determine whether someone was guilty of witchcraft. Self-styled "punk ethnomusicologist", acoustician and musician Julien Hairon uses this mystical symbol as the starting point for his debut Judgitzu album in an attempt to reconnect with his Celtic heritage, exploring how it's hallowed messages might harmonize with contemporary Tanzanian dance music. Hairon has been traveling across the world for over a decade, collecting field recordings from countries such as Indonesia, Australia, Cambodia, China and Bangladesh, and presenting them on his Les Cartes Postales Sonores label, re-issuing any curious cassette and CDs he came across on the PetPets' TAPES imprint. It was during this time that he became fascinated by rituals that involved spirits, prompting him to examine his own ancestry when he returned to Brittany. "Many artifacts in the landscape remain," Hairon explains, "and the power of spirits is still palpable." He represents this Celtic mysticism on 'Sator Arepo' with murky drones and magickal synth tones, using xenharmonic scales (tuning outside of standard 12-tone equal temperament) that reach back to the ancient world. These sounds are augmented with fast-paced, sci-fi rhythms informed by his time in Tanzania; "Singeli has contaminated me," admits the producer. The most astonishing example of this is 'Miracle', a thrusting soundsystem experiment that layers serpentine, bagpipe-esque electronic wails over extravagant clusters of blocky percussion. Driven by the frenetic 175BPM pulse that echoes through the streets of Dar Es Salaam - popularized globally by forward-thinking producers like Sisso, Duke and Jay Mitta - Hairon opens up a rare conversation, seeking to draw parallels between today's most urgent dance forms and the archaic rituals of antiquity. On 'Vitalimetre', Hairon drives his sonic palette into the red, harmonizing with Dutch hardstyle and gabber, and splaying distorted drones over maddeningly blown-out kicks and ratcheting percussion. 'L'or Des Fous' takes a more meditative route, prioritizing Hairon's eccentric tonality with expressive sheets of pitch-warped sound that ghost walk across energized, rattling beats. If you heard Hairon's last Judgitzu release 'Umeme / Kelele', described by Boomkat as "one of 2019's deadliest dancefloor sessions," then you'll know how mindboggling this material can be. And with 'Sator Arepo', the French producer deepens his reach, grasping a world that we've almost forgotten and juxtaposing it with a landscape most of us barely comprehend.
Release date:
October 20, 2023
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
HumminGuru: Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaner
Advanced ultrasonic technology with customizable cleaning cycles and a large tank capacity to thoroughly remove dust, dirt, and contaminants
-
Ortofon 2M Blue Premounted
Mounted on the SH-4 Black Headshell, this setup delivers exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and accurate sound reproduction.
-
Audioengine A2 Plus
Precision-engineered 2.75-inch woofers and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter, featuring built-in DAC and Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration.
-
Technics SL-1500C Turntable
Features a direct-drive motor, a high-precision tonearm, and a premium MM cartridge, delivering exceptional sound quality
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Glenn Hughes Chosen
Frontiers New Recordings Physical Only
September 5, 2025 -
Sunniva Hypostasis
Svart Records
September 26, 2025 -
Metronomy BBC Sessions [2xLP]
Because Music
September 12, 2025 -
Creem Circus Get. Switched. On!
Creep Records
September 19, 2025 -
Bloom The Light We Chase
Pure Noise Records
October 24, 2025 -
Gatlin The Eldest Daughter
Dualtone Music Group
October 3, 2025 -
Lathe of Heaven Aurora (Blue)
Sacred Bones
August 29, 2025 -
Ella Eyre Everything, in Time
Play It Again Sam
November 21, 2025 -
Trapeze Lost Tapes Vol. 1 (Yellow) [2xLP]
Metalville
September 12, 2025 -
Simple Minds Once Upon A Time
A&M
October 17, 2025 -
Various Artists No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All
Silver Lining Music
November 14, 2025 -
Marshall Crenshaw From The Hellhole (Sunburst Splash) [2xLP]
Yep Roc Records
August 29, 2025 -
Cusp What I Want Doesn't Want Me Back (Ice Blue)
Exploding In Sound Records
October 17, 2025 -
Rainbow Kitten Surprise bones
Atlantic
September 26, 2025