A trench coat, but in the future, a dark road with lasers, semi-admitted desires and an insatiable quest for stimulation: yes, all these things were said about the same album, in the same discussion. These are some avenues which shed light on the nature of Like in a penthousefrom the trio Le Couleur, who here sign a new concept record, but drenched in renewed atmospheres.
Laurence Giroux-Do, Patrick Gosselin and Steeven Chouinard have led the French-speaking electro-disco-pop group for around fifteen years now. Last March, they plunged into a sprint, installed in their recording studio, to methodically create, song after song, the floors of a musical edifice which has become the fourth complete album in a vast discography that runs on EP and remixes.
“We will be pornographers of a crash », sings Laurence on the hypnotic first piece, Autobahn. As in a penthouse makes us experience the escape and wanderings of Barbara, an already existing character from the Le Couleur curriculum, who drives and lives at 180 km/h, pushing the limits until her last breath.
It was with high morale, returning from a vibrant and stimulating tour, that this idea of the perpetual search for new sensations was born. “At first, I wanted to talk about the exploration of Antarctica,” says Laurence, to the great astonishment of the journalist who almost drops his pen. Explanations?
“In fact, what’s interesting is the exploration, precisely the fact of wanting to go further all the time. Antarctica, we agree that we will never live there. But what pushes us to go there? » said the singer.
Geographical limits ultimately left more room for physical and psychological stimulation, excess, and addictions. “What is the limit, when do we become satisfied? » asks Laurence. His Barbara likes to be chased: “it’s her thrillit’s a little Catch Me If You Can “. Speaking of cinema, Le Couleur sculpted part of its artistic direction by drawing inspiration from Crashthe film by David Cronenberg, andAmerican Psycho, by Mary Harron. Which sets the tone.
Summer is over
Like in a penthouse — a nod to Patrick Bateman’s character? — also shows us a new shade of Le Couleur. The trio explored sunnier sounds extensively, but had a strong desire to break out of their ruts. Steeven Chouinard, who has worked in the studio with many artists in recent years, including Radiant Baby, Luis Clavis, Valence and Gros Soleil, wanted to explore denser sounds.
“I wanted the antithesis of minimalism… Maximalism! » says Chouinard, laughing behind his glasses. He returns to the two films already mentioned: “We created a cold, powerful atmosphere, a bit nineties, freezing. And, note, we’re not far from Antarctica, it still makes sense in the artistic direction! » And Laurence adds that “it’s no longer an album that’s summer, I don’t think [qu’avec ces nouvelles chansons] you want to have your little scarf in a convertible. It’s not the California sun there.”
I wanted the antithesis of minimalism… Maximalism!
But we don’t really know where we are either. In a city where there are skyscrapers, probably, and creepy alleys where shady things happen. A place where the night stretches both slowly and quickly. The sound of the synthesizers reveals the silhouette of an inspector patrolling under the bridges.
In the studio, Le Couleur called on musician friends, including Félix Paul, from the group Rau Ze, Shaun Pouliot, from Super Plage, and Louis-Joseph Cliche, half of Beat Market. The singer of Choses Sauvages, Standard Emmanuel, lends his voice to one track.
Le Couleur had already opened its creation for the previous disc Concord and for the tour that followed. There is no longer any question of depriving yourself of collaborators when the time comes to take the stage. Steeven Chouinard swells with happiness: “Tsé, everywhere you turn your head, there is sound played by humans, it jumps everywhere. Then they are our friends, we are together in the vanwe have 1001 running gagsit’s really the fun. »
Enough to become addicted, like Barbara, to these sensations? “It would be difficult to go back to three, even if it costs more to film and the logistics are more complicated,” notes Patrick Gosselin. We must understand here that Le Couleur could wander more, but that the training does not give in to this temptation of the reduced formula.
“For me,” adds a philosophical Steeven Chouinard, “success is not the quantity of money I have in my account, nor the number of streams nor that of records sold. What’s important is happiness, it’s that I still have fun playing with Pat and with Laurence. » And the fact of continuing to renew oneself, well accompanied.