"Nuage"

Type, 2007, 19 tracks
CD / LP (out of print) / Download

Music for Sébastien Betbeder's films "Nuage" and "Les Mains d'Andréa". Chauveau's work has often straddled classical composition and contemporary electronics, but this release rests its focus on largely untreated works for a small ensemble including viola, violin and Chauveau's own piano and electric guitar performances.
The most obvious comparison to make would be to Chauveau's very own "Un Autre Décembre" mini-album - there's a similar sense of romanticism and understated melodic drama here, though it never comes across as overblown or excessive - the small number of personnel and the minimal arrangements involved maintain a climate of intimacy, while the relatively short durations of the individual tracks make for a dynamically arresting album.

Musicians: Pierre-Yves Macé (piano, electronics), Maitane Sebastián (violoncello), Franck Dematteis (viola), Sylvain Chauveau (electric guitar for "Nuage") and Marina Rodriguez: (violoncello 2 for "Nuage")

Music composed by Sylvain Chauveau
Produced by Les Films du Worso
Recorded by Marc Dubézy and Damien at CDM, Toulouse ("Nuage")
and by Julien Guinard at La Muse en Circuit, Alfortville ("Les Mains D'Andréa")
Mixed by Pierre-Yves Macé in Paris
Mastered by Lupo at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin
Cover artwork by Kabegami

XLRTR / USA / 2008

“Brief, bleak, and beautiful, this is what I imagine Radiohead listens to when they get off tour. 8/10”

The Wire / UK / February 2008

“Austere yet unashamedly pretty classical music informed by minimalism and post-rock.”

All Music Guide / USA / 2007

“All the string parts are slow, with piano providing melody as it occurs - the effect is mesmerizing”

Almost Cool / UK / 2007

“While his work isn't really thematically comparable to most composers that one would consider to be "minimalists", his instrumentation is certain efficient and often masterful”

back to discography