through the sparkle is a collaboration between french ensemble astr•d and american pianist and composer rachel grimes. rachel grimes is best known for her chamber music project rachelÕs, a hugely influential group formed in 1991 in louisville, kentucky, releasing six studio albums between 1995 and 2005. she has also released a string of contemporary classical works in recent years on labels such as temporary residence. astr•d is a collective of four musicians based in nantes, releasing records on rune grammofon and home normal. after years of mail and email back and forth over the ocean, from nantes to kentucky, astr•d invited rachel to come for a residency to make music together and play shows in france. they gathered for a few days, here and there, in 2012 and 2013 to write songs in cyril and vanina s home studio in the countryside.