It's A Live Thing, A Living Thing: Francois and the Atlas Mountains Discuss 'Solide Mirage'
Thursday, 09 February 2017
Written by Milly McMahon
Photo: Tom Joye
Cynicism bounces happily alongside optimism and irony on Fránçois and the Atlas Mountains’ fourth album, ‘Solide Mirage’. Recorded throughout the summer of 2016 at Jet Studios in Brussels and influenced by the terrible international derailments of peace that threatened his home country of France and then rippled across Europe, it's the result of Fránçois Marry taking to his music to compute the chaos.
Utilising harmonious instrumentation that feels simultaneously peaceful and soothing, ‘Solide Mirage’ is the perfect accompaniment to social progress, inspiring his audiences to listen to their consciences and unite against hate. Marry’s artistic temperament is tangible and infectious on this record, with some old rough edges also brought to the fore again following a collaboration with photographer Hedi Slimane for Yves Saint Laurent.
The LP was ushered in with an emblematic video for Grand Dereglement featuring Palestinian Dabké dancer Mohamed Okal, a refugee from the conflict in Gaza, performing at the Palais de Justice in Paris, with Marry hoping to represent the positive side of civilisation’s seismic shifts.
'Solide Mirage’ will also be welcomed with a handful of dates scheduled across the UK in March and Marry’s deeply passionate musical mission statements are deeply affecting when experienced live. We caught up with Marry to discuss emotions, political unrest and his evolution as a lyricist.
When did you finish recording ‘Solide Mirage’?
Last summer, July 2016. Although I love this new record, for me releasing music is just part of a continuous process. It's a live thing, a living thing.
I love the video for Grand Dereglement. What aspects of Mohamed Okal’s creative energy and processes did you identify with?
None, really, because as a Palestinian refugee he is so strong and brave. I feel much weaker when compared to him. For example, I was complaining about the cold when we were shooting by night at the Palais de Justice. Mohamed had just had an operation to extract a bit of shrapnel he had been wounded by in the conflicts at Gaza. He was dancing without any trouble.
How did the lyrics to Grand Dereglement first take form and what influence did you want the track to have upon your audiences? Why was the political message of this song important to you on a personal level?
I grew up in the ‘90s, when all the kitschness of the "fun-culture" - sodas, R&B, Hollywood, chewing gum, TV series - had a strong and influential aesthetic. Everything felt washed out and soft. For this album, it felt like singing about fun and girlfriends was overdone. Overkill, like pink on pink, like chewing marshmallows while lying on pillows. Political lyrics were a way to present something that addressed the concerns that I had on a deeper level.
What happened in your first meeting with Hedi Slimane? How relevant do you feel the romantic and grungy aesthetic of his work will remain in the glossy face of Instagram’s influence?
I met Hedi after a Saint Laurent catwalk. There used to be after parties with models, free alcohol and loose instruments lying around. I played a cover with Franz Ferdinand's drummer during one of those after parties in a basement. Hedi was taking pictures of drunk musicians jamming. The next day I was invited to have lunch with Hedi. We talked about the French underground music scene. I’m not sure I really fully understood his position in the world of fashion but I understood Hedi's work as a way to support the attitude of the grungers to stay creative, free, wild and fragile.
What was your lasting impression of the Arab Spring and how changed did you feel by the experience of playing shows in the Middle East? How different was the energy out there?
As a westerner I can only have a biased point of view. I'd be tempted to judge the Arab Spring as a positive representation of true freedom of speech but the backlash of the following years is a poignant reminder that the societies of most countries are actually conservative. But I'm not fully confident or experienced enough to truly express an opinion on something so complex. I did feel a great deal of electricity when we played those shows in the Middle East. I felt like we couldn't hide behind musical gimmicks, we couldn't cheat the crowds. Our rawest songs resonated the most profoundly when we played in Cairo. It was an amazing reminder that the intention of a song is more important than its style.
How have the terror attacks in France and across the globe influenced your approach to making music?
The suspicion, the tension and the anxiety the events caused affected me badly. Writing songs was a good way to get perspective on those fears and anxieties.
When you listen to the new album, what stands out for you? How is the sound evolving and how are you are all maturing?
It takes me a good five years to formulate an opinion on my own music once it is recorded. Theses songs live within me. The mental and physical perspective I have on them is much stronger than the shape they took as a physical piece of recorded music.
Why did you decide to record in Brussels?
Brussels was a practical place for me to live and that's why I located there. I like Brussels but I can't explain why. It's not a good looking city and it can seem quite messy and bland. I wanted to record in Brussels to give the music a familiar friendly shape, similar to the city itself. I wanted to express the soft chaos that resonates here.
How important do you think the audience’s translation of your music is?
I'm sure once the audience comes to the show something honest transpires and we all understand each other beyond literal content.
'Solide Mirage' is out on March 3 through Domino.
Fránçois and The Atlas Mountains' Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon March 27 2017 - LONDON Moth Club
Tue March 28 2017 - BRISTOL Thekla
Wed March 29 2017 - MANCHESTER Soup Kitchen
Thu March 30 2017 - GLASGOW Mono - Kings Court
Fri March 31 2017 - NORWICH Arts Centre
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