Often described as an “Electronicist”, DeLaurentis is characterized as an electronic artist who composes music as art. This is undoubtedly true, however also highly reductive.
She brilliantly demonstrates this with her second album Musicalism. While the abundant richness of work is aimed at the listener’s head, the pieces also know how to address the legs.
For this native of Toulouse, France, this album is a return to her roots. Cécile, is a fully-fledged member of an entire generation who entered the electro scene as teenagers, thanks to the energy and power of free parties. A far cry from the conservatory and the jazz world in which she grew up (her father Philippe Léogé, a renowned jazzman, played with Claude Nougaro, among other renowned musicians) and where she took her first steps as a singer, covering jazz standards. This, however, did not stop her from becoming an avid music geek at an early age, fascinated by the possibilities of computers and machines combined. She imagined her own compositions in the early '10s, using virtual synthesizers, with the American Laurie Anderson as her heroine who in 100% control of her own production.
DeLaurentis’s first album, Unica (2021), marked by the particular alliance of voice and electronics, and a magnificent essay on classical works reworked with the help of artificial intelligence (Classical Variations, Vol. 2, 2023) lay the foundations for an artist-adventurer on a perpetual quest for new sonic explorations.
Her ethos is manifested perfectly throughout the dazzling journey that Musicalism takes us on.
This upcoming album, undoubtedly her most accomplished work, was produced and inspired by synesthesia. For when Cécile hears or composes music, she visualizes colors that immediately provoke different emotional states of mind and being. For example, blue means flight, hope signifies awakening, and orange depicts triumph, an epic quality or strength. These different colors evolve in her mind into shapes and even characters.
The turning point came when she discovered a movement launched in the 30s called musicalism, in which artists translated sounds into paint. It was hence decided that this would be the theme and driving force of her next album. Her relationship with color and emotion runs throughout Musicalism’s thirteen tracks, whose titles are intelligently linked to a particular color.
Joachim Garraud was another important encounter in the creative process for the musician from Toulouse. Four years ago, as part of a side project, she found herself jamming with the French electronic pioneer in the Californian desert and then at festivals. It was an incredibly energetic experience that reconnected her with the feeling she had experienced in the rave world. This ebullience is palpable in the stunning tracks: “Unbelievable Green”, Supermassive Red” and ‘Tangerine Land’. These works ignite an irresistible longing to dance, while the grace of the melodies is never far away. She also dazzles us with the striking “I'm Just A Rose”, or “Bluebird on A Dune” and the mesmerizing “Gone Colors”, which are all potential hits.
The DeLaurentis laboratory is also open to collaborations. Her alliance with legendary Swedish singer Jay Jay Johanson, led to the shivering trip-hop hit “The Wooden House”, or the one with Japanese duo Osteoleuco for the highly successful futuristic rap piece “Golden Kids”. If you get the nagging sensation that you're listening to a universe of unprecedented or foreign sounds, it's because DeLaurentis uses special digital instruments that she describes as digital lutherie, such as Ableton's Push, Embodme's Erae and Sony CSL's artificial intelligence tools. The album has also been conceived as a “spatialized auditory experience”, produced in Dolby Atmos, with a 360° immersive live experience in the pipeline in partnership with Radio France and sound engineer/designer Hervé Déjardin, La Générale de Production and France Télévision.
Who is ready for take off?
In the music of DeLaurentis, the future is now.
