“Bûcher dans le tas,” The New Single by Jeanphilip is Available Now
As the release of his album Vérandas approaches, Jeanphilip has unveiled a second single, “Bûcher dans le tas,” another preview of the opus to come.
Jeanphilip is a true musical alchemist, navigating between North American electro-rock and melodic European influences. Since his project’s debut in 2005, he has been offering unique music that skillfully blends powerful and sharp contemporary rock guitar with an electronic aesthetic. His compositions carve a sonic landscape that is both familiar and innovative. His spontaneous and introspective French lyrics explore modern reality with remarkable sensitivity and commitment.
An emblematic figure of the Quebecois and French indie-rock scenes, Jeanphilip has four albums to his credit, as well as a multitude of EPs and singles. He has also ignited nearly 250 stages, including nine tours in France. He is currently preparing to unveil his next album, Vérandas. Reflecting on a life spent in Quebec, Maine, the Eastern Townships and Paris, the album – to be released next fall – promises a rich and diverse musical tapestry.
The new single, “Bûcher dans le tas,” plunges us into Jeanphilip’s energetic electro-rock universe. The track embodies a melodic revolt against societal apathy, blending sharp guitars and vibrant synthesizers. With an infectious rhythm, it becomes an anthem of liberation, inviting us to leave all constraints behind. Tension rises as frustration and determination merge, exploring the complexities of a society adrift in populist turmoil.
Once again, Jeanphilip surrounds himself with poignant collaborators such as Paul Cargnello on production and Benoit Villeneuve, alias Shampouing, on composition (Tire le Coyote). The futuristic indie-pop artist Jon Cohen (The Dears), bassist Cédric Martel (Hubert Lenoir, Ariane Roy), and funk drummer P-E Beaudoin (Hubert Lenoir, Lou-Adriane Cassidy) also contributed to the recording.
The music video for “Bûcher dans le tas,” directed by the talented videographer and director Edgar Fritz (Limoilou), pays homage to the aesthetic of photographer Irving Penn, notably his portrait series “Corners” where different characters are captured in confined spaces.
First off care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I’ve been a mainstay of the Québec and France indie-rock scene since 2005. My discography includes four albums, and several EPs/singles. I’ve performed nearly 250 concerts including nine tours in France.
I’m now living part-time in southern Maine (USA) and I’ve recently made a couple of shows in the Boston area. The audience danced and really appreciated my French electro-rock music.
Although I’ve been a completely independent artist in the past, I’m looking forward to upscaling my career and stepping up to the commercial plate with this bold new album.
Tell us a bit about your recent release.
Vérandas is my latest studio effort. It was co-produced by one of Montreal’s most prolific troubadours Paul Cargnello. Sonically, it’s not so much a departure but an exploration, going deep into the underground sounds of electro-rock. The concept of this ambitious record was to do everything a little differently. From the creative (writing & composing) to the technical (recording & mastering), the goal was to go somewhere I’d never been before. It’s a renewed artistic fervor. On this album I blend electro style synths with rock guitars, grunge vocals with R&B beats, placing myself alongside LCD Soundsystem, Depeche Mode, MGMT, but doing it all in my colloquial Québécois French.
All the songs of Vérandas were conceived and initially composed in Maine between January and March of 2022. Later that year, I had a major snowboarding accident which prevented me from playing any instruments for the rest of the recording. This forced a great leap into the artistic void when it came to the production of the album.
Resolute in my determination to take the compositions to the next level, I organized international collaborations that took me from Maine to Québec City, from Montréal to Paris. I brought together a star-studded team: producer extraordinaire and multi-instrumentalist Paul Cargnello, French vocal coach to the stars Olivier Azzano (Benjamin Biolay, La Bestiole), Quebec-americana guitar hero Benoit Villeneuve (Shampouing, Tire le coyote), Indie-pop futurist Jon Cohen (The Dears, Jon Cohen Experimental), blue-eyed soul songstress Jasmine Bleile (Ladies of the Canyons, Satellītes), classy bassman Cédric Martel (Hubert Lenoir, Men I Trust), funky drummer P-E Beaudoin (Hubert Lenoir, Lou-Adrianne Cassidy), big heart drummer Olivier Beaulieu (Karim Ouellet, Patrice Michaud) and the creative contributions of Jean-François Bougie. While recorded mostly in Thetford (QC), and mixed in Montreal, the album was mastered in Maine at Gateway Mastering Studios by Adam Ayan (Paul McCartney, Lana Del Ray, Pearl Jam). The final touches happening at the very place where the songs were born was a particularly satisfying “full circle” moment in the creative process.
How do you typically go about the songwriting process? Do you have a specific method or creative routine that you follow?
It always starts with something very spontaneous, often a guitar riff. However, for my new electro album, I had a new keyboard controller that came with hundreds of incredible sounds. Navigating through all these sounds, I had fun playing different melodies and three songs came out of it. In the meantime, I bought a Depeche Mode vinyl thinking it was their new album. Finally, it occurred to be the first one. I really liked the very nervous rhythm of the song Photographic. I then created a beat on this rhythm and then composed the theme song of the album.
Looking ahead, what are your plans for supporting this new release? Are there any upcoming tours, music videos, or additional content that fans can look forward to in connection with this project?
As previously said, it took me one more year to prepare for this album’s release. Ideally wanting to make things very differently, I deeply asked myself what to do with this album. So, I worked on a new complete branding, lots of videos, remixes, and mainly, a new show. Life is not just a money matter but it’s a big part of it. So now, I can play this electro-rock-dancing show alone. That allows me to travel light with it and it’s super easy to add additional musicians when the conditions permit. I have plans for a tour in France and shows in the US. The album is for September but next July, I will release my first R&B song that talks about tormented lovers.
Looking back on your musical career, is there a particular moment or accomplishment that you consider a turning point or a highlight?
Meeting Benoit Villeneuve known as Shampouing for playing with folk artist Tire le coyote (Juno Awards of 2019) was a turning point in my career. Also, when I met Paul Cargnello on a tour in France, it was significant. These two guys became really close friends and collaborators. The more you play with great artists, the more you become a great artist! It pulls you up when you are a hard worker.
Last but not least, it’s time to pay it forward, what upcoming band or artist would you recommend your fans check out?
Astonvilla / Superspectives
Jayson Green & the Jerk / Local Jerk
Armelle Yons / Mon secret
Idles / Tangk