Brisk by Juli Deák
The upcoming album by Juli Deák is an interesting piece, a bridge between different genres – on one hand it is the world of her classical music training, on the other hand it is the experimentation and improvisation that gave her boost to move with the flow of ideas and arrive at this particular place and space.
This is a very direct and linear music – and especially if you consider that they were recorded without overdubs in one take. The tracks were recorded in spring 2025 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Budapest. Depict and Trace were recorded at the same location on January 2, 2026.
The directness and also the fact that the space they were recorded at bleeds a certain amount of natural reverberation give you an idea that it’s a natural happenstance – the dynamics that feed the composition can only help with feeling and hearing how immediate and straightforward the whole album is. Juli leads the whole album with great self-confidence and skill that many should be jealous of.
The idea for this album began taking shape in 2021 and has slowly evolved into a seven-track snapshot of Juli Deák’s musical world and artistic thinking. Coming from the challenging, refined, and often seemingly flawless sound of classical music, the flutist began redirecting her musical voice toward a much more personal space through experimentation and improvisation. What eventually grew into this project originally began as a handful of unfinished ideas—which only revealed their true meaning in front of an audience. From the very beginning, the concerts captivated listeners, whose encouragement pushed her to continue the process.
At the core of the album lies breathing. It is not only an essential element of wind instruments but of human life itself. Through close microphone placement and the amplification of nasal breathing, the listener can almost feel the performer’s presence, as if right beside them. By layering contemporary classical techniques such as overblowing, harmonics, and wind tones, the solo flute emerges in multiple voices, creating the impression of the impossible. This is complemented by the constant rhythmic clicks of the flute keys, which provide a continuous beat and pulse.
Another key element is the human: the constant exploration of the performer’s physical limits. By magnifying sounds that are usually hidden or even considered unwelcome in classical music—such as breathy tones, unstable sounds, pitch deviations, squeaks, and loud inhalations—Deák demonstrates an attitude that deliberately turns in the opposite direction. Just as in life, where flaws and inconsistencies are what make us captivating, Deák highlights these sounds as integral to her music. Through the physical, performative form and Deák’s raw expression, she portrays the natural side of the human while still expressing the deeply lyrical, pastoral, and fairy-like personality of her instrument. The album is defined by a fusion of classical precision and technical virtuosity, the freedom of jazz, and the inventive solutions of experimental music. The title reflects the technique of circular breathing—which allows Deák to play continuously without interruptions for inhalation—as well as the organic nature of the project.
Most of the pieces were recorded in spring 2025 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Budapest, while Depict and Trace were recorded at the same location on January 2, 2026. All are single-take recordings, with no overdubbing.
credits
releases April 24, 2026
Juli Deák, flute.
All tracks composed and performed by Juli Deák.
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Ádám Gyöngyösi.
Recorded in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Budapest on April 14, 2025 (tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7) and on January 2, 2026 (tracks 2 and 4).
Photo by Carl Curman (Tekniska Museet).
Cover artwork by Michell Zethson, finalised by Pål Olofsson.
Executive production by Alex Zethson.
Made with support by the Swedish Arts Council
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