Courchevel

Description

Preceded by the single "Benjamin," already on heavy rotation playlists on France Inter and Europe 1, "Courchevel" is Florent Marchet's 3rd studio album, following Gargilesse (Barclay, 2004) and Rio Baril (Barclay, 2007). Since these two albums, and with his project Frère animal (Verticales/Gallimard, 2008), Florent Marchet has remained active on the music scene. With Courchevel, Florent Marchet confirms his fondness for romance and delving into the French provinces he holds dear. 11 songs, 11 pop postcards, true snapshots, each an invitation to travel: from the ski slopes to Île de Ré, via Narbonne beach and Roissy. In doing so, he delivers a true gallery of portraits, characters we've all met. Perhaps they are even us. With undeniable irony and cathartic emotion, Florent Marchet questions the meaning of things and existence... This small world, recounted from a human perspective, is obviously our own. Like every artist, Florent Marchet has his "mountain guides." First, there are the compositions inspired by mythical 60s and 70s cinema (François de Roubaix, Michel Magne, and Michel Colombier). He enjoys contrasting these musical geniuses with his modern influences: Phoenix, The XX, The Arcade Fire, Beck, MGMT, and Lily Allen. Eager to create a very personal synthesis between this musical heritage and a vibrant contemporaneity, he explored the organic fiber of his Clavinet, Rhodes, Prophet 5, Philicorda, old drum machines, and String Machine. The result: a luminous collection of pop. Here, organs blend equally well with his preferred piano, folk strings, and unique programming, without neglecting the brass section. Faithful collaborations include musicians Bertrand Perrin and François Poggio, as well as Erik Arnaud and Djef Chauffour for sound recording. New collaborations feature the surprising rhythms of Malian Mamadou Prince Koné, who specially came to Nodiva studio to imprint the echo of his calabashes on the album, as well as the sound of guitars from Remi Alexandre (Syd Matters) and Seb Martel, and Jane Birkin's voice in a very unexpected duet. Mixers Alf (Air), Julien Delfaud (Phoenix), and Stéphane Prin (Jean-Louis Murat) also added a layer of snow to Courchevel.