After 12 years of instrumental albums, Chilly Gonzales has a lot to get off his chest.
The notebooks that sat unfilled since 2011’s orchestral rap opus “The Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales” started to fill up again in early 2022 after ending a lengthy decade of psychoanalysis. Coincidence? Hardly.
The songs reveal an ongoing tension between persuasion and confession, delusion and self-awareness and finally, gratitude.
Since his track Smothered Mate (from the album Ivory Tower) was chosen as the soundtrack for the French national soccer team’s World Cup victory, Chilly Gonzales has gradually taken steps towards France. While waiting to take his seat at the illustrious Académie Française, he fed his soul with camembert and French literature and released, in 2023, his first album entirely written and composed in the language of Molière: FRENCH KISS.
To make this record, Chilly Gonzales befriended a new generation of French artists, mixing them with long-time friends and one of his heroes, to whom he cedes his place at the piano for the first time.
On the album, Bonnie Banane, Juliette Armanet, Christine Ott, Arielle Dombasle and Teki Latex rub shoulders, under the benevolent eye of Richard Clayderman…. The velvety and acerbic cover is signed Fabcaro.
“After hearing Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman’s ‘Consumed’ for the first time, I felt that the record’s loose use of melody and negative space threatened my musical sensibility. The album’s unique timing structure pushed me towards an idea of composing accompanying piano pieces (counterparts) for each of the tracks. It would not be a remix. It would be one composer instinctively reacting to – and finding space within – another composer’s already completed work.” Chilly Gonzales
Introducing CONSUMED IN KEY, a reimagining of Plastikman’s 1998 magnum opus ‘Consumed’, as a new collaboration between original artist Richie Hawtin and Chilly Gonzales, executively produced by Tiga.
Album out now and available here, released digitally and as a Triple LP
(100% recycled materials) on April 1st, 2022
Many thanks to all the participants and congrats to the graduates!
Day 11: Kwela takes us through his highlights of the #Gonzervatory2019 ‘s concert at the Herr Von Eden store. 🎤 🎶 🥁
Day 10 : Djibé takes us through her highlights of the #Gonzervatory2019 ’s acoustic concert. 🎶🎤🎹
Day 09 : Danielle takes us through the #Gonzervatory2019 ’s first concert at Das Kleine Landcafé ! 🎶 🎉
