It’s been about two weeks now that I’ve been moving at a different pace. I had the chance to spend some time again in Bordeaux—a city that has really changed, especially after 10:30 PM. At night, the sense of celebration feels almost gone, or at least very fragmented. There’s a noticeable feeling of insecurity, which is a shame.

I reconnected with one of my closest friends, and we talked a lot. I’m realizing more and more how essential human connection is—real connection, and connections in general.

I came back to Paris yesterday and went to one of my favorite places, run by friends. I ended up talking with people from Brest. We spoke about connection, about life, about many things. What struck me is that they told me someone had sat in my exact spot before and shared the same thoughts: in Paris, connection has faded. The city is becoming a machine. Even when you feel good in your neighborhood—which is my case—human connection has become very thin. And honestly, if the only goal left in life is to accumulate money, then something important has clearly been lost. It creates isolation, regardless of age.

I also took the time to update my podcast. I released a French version, and I invite you to listen to it. I’ll probably do more in French—it feels simpler, maybe more fluid. I’ll need feedback on that.

As for Luminære, I’ve decided to release songs progressively around that title. These tracks will be more personal, a bit less driven by mystical themes. They’ll still be under the Zi Iacchos name, since the core idea remains: processing the guitar through an evolving modular system.

I’ll probably order one last modular piece—a mixer built by Modulaire Maritime. They make really solid, sometimes very technical gear. This should help me save space and add an FX module.

Luminære will keep growing over time. I’ll stop when it feels right and move on, but it could easily become a collection of 15 or 20 tracks. That fits the logic of this new project: different formats every time, no standard structure, no fixed durations—but always a strong focus on texture.

Lately, I’ve been integrating samples from my travels. I can trigger them through my system using modules like 2hp Pluck and others that allow gate or trigger control. Whether it’s organ sounds, room ambience, or nature recordings, these samples add something very real to the sound. The process is slow and sometimes tedious, but I feel like I’m reaching about 75% authenticity compared to what I have in mind.

I even put together a press kit and a concept for sound design collaborations—for art galleries, designers, sculptors. There’s a real opportunity now to create music that directly interacts with other forms of art using my current setup.

At the end of my signal chain, FX are crucial. The Strymon BigSky is honestly perfect. The designer behind my FX module was incredibly kind—he repaired two modules I had received. Now I’m deciding how to integrate everything. I see two options: for installations, I’ll use the Strymon; for travel setups, I’ll use the modular FX. But I can’t go beyond 12 modules, so something has to go.

I mainly post demos and experiments on YouTube and TikTok, but TikTok clearly has more impact, at least on the surface. It helps me step back and refine ideas. Even if a video is built around a specific patch, the essence—the tone, the mood—is there. I can always re-record it later in the studio with a different setup and still keep something very close.

Live performance is still a bit unclear. I have ideas, I know it’s possible, but the right opportunity needs to appear. It’s strange how patient we can be with some things and completely impatient with others.

Normally, I should be traveling from June 23 to July 15. I’m not sure yet whether I’ll go back to Vietnam or head to Tenerife. It depends on the intention behind the trip. If I go to Vietnam, I’ll probably land further north this time. I’ve heard that entry conditions have changed slightly, with a document to fill out beforehand. For three full weeks, though, it still feels like one of the best possible destinations.

All the conversations I’ve had over the past two weeks wouldn’t have happened in my usual routine. I won’t go into detail, but right now I have the space to experience that, and it matters.

I also want to clarify something: all my blog posts and podcasts are made in a completely handcrafted way. There’s no use of AI in the creative process. The only exception is the header image for each blog post, which I sometimes generate using artificial intelligence. I use it purely as a visual tool. Still, I feel it lacks the intensity of something made entirely by hand, so I may start creating all visuals myself as well.

When it comes to composition and recording, everything is fully human. I don’t use AI at any stage of the creative process. I mention this because it’s a very current topic—many people are going in that direction, and there’s a lot of debate around it.

As for the world today, my feeling is that a lot is being said, and a lot of people are suffering. There’s a kind of harsh reality that we wouldn’t have imagined a few years ago.

But to end on a positive note: what really matters is staying grounded, staying healthy, and learning how to navigate the system we’re living in.

Zi