Reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

With Volume III, a trilogy begun seven years ago by Quebec composer Mathieu David Gagnon is complete. For Gagnon is the man behind the Flore Laurentienne project, looking to bring organs, analogue synthesizers and string ensembles together in a series of movements to fully appreciate the natural history of the Canadian province. As the press release states:

“The message, the shareable essence, on this third album by Flore Laurentienne, is light; it is the seed in the ground that becomes a plant and then a flower, blooming at its peak and then inevitably wilting so that the cycle can begin again; it is the quest for beauty in chaos, from which harmony is born. On Volume III, Mathieu David Gagnon and his Flore Laurentienne return to celebrate the magnificence of the river and its floral and sylvan surroundings.

This new milestone also marks the end of a trilogy that began in 2019 with Volume I – with the inherent and parallel aspiration of reaching a third volume in order to pay tribute to Volume 3, L’Infonie’s (a Quebec cult collective that blended jazz, prog, art music, and poetry) first album. The latter did not influence Flore Laurentienne’s music per se, but rather its conception of freedom in composition, combining classical and improvisation.

What’s the music like?

As fresh and as beautiful as the wide-open Canadian outdoors. Gagnon has an attractive style, and the interaction between acoustic and electronic is ideally judged.

Fleurs sets out the colourful and genial musical language, describing a flower’s life cycle with bright phrases that interact with instinct and skill. The musical patterns hark back to Baroque times but sound fresh while doing so, enhanced by the electronics bubbling up through the texture.

Régate is initially made of sterner stuff, with a granite outline laid by piano before being joined by warmer strings, which is then cleverly checked until becoming ever more thoughtful.

Le temps is a dreamy play led by the harp, before Fleuve VII begins with intimate piano thoughts before swelling into a joyous paean when joined by strings.

Gagnon saves the best until last, however, with the profile of Navigation VII resembling a bird on the wing, big sweeps of string sound flying overhead before diving beneath the listener. It is a thrilling listen, its mood maintained by the heady orchestral exchanges as (À travers les) Chablis reaches for the skies.

Does it all work?

Yes, and even more so when the first two volumes of the trilogy are included.

Is it recommended?

It is – and this listener, who began with the last part, will be purchasing the previous two. Flore Laurentienne stands for true appreciation of our surroundings, its music capable of transmitting the feeling and heady emotion of being at one with nature.

For fans of… Craig Armstrong, Olafur Arnalds, Max Richter, Sigur Ros

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,907 – Thursday 4 June 2026