With his anticipated new album ‘Concrete and Glass’ due for release on January 24 via Because Music, Nicolas Godin has shared two remixes of His recent single The Border. The first is a reworking by Pierre Rousseau of Paradis, the producer of ‘Concrete and Glass,’ who delivers a bass-driven interpretation of the track. The second remix is by Mick Starwood, a regular collaborator with Jam City, who gives us a beautifully spacey and atmospheric reimagining of the track. Listen to both remixes here.
‘Concrete and Glass‘ is an exquisitely crafted set of variations on architectural reference points: mounted with minimalist precision and delivered with an abundance of pop warmth, it finds Godin in his element, working seductive wonders with poise and style to spare. The album circles back to Godin’s formative work as half of ground-breaking French electronic group Air. Revered modern architect Le Corbusier was an influence on the young architecture graduate’s music, notably on his 1997 debut ‘Modular Mix’. Twenty-plus years later, Le Corbusier featured on a list of modernist architects Godin was invited to compose tributes for, tributes intended to be heard as the soundtrack to site-specific installations around the world.
In its soft ambient pulse and melting minimalism, lead track The Border is a perfect entry-point to Godin’s hymns to buildings, arranged and co-produced with Pierre Rousseau. Elsewhere, current single The Foundation, which features guest vocals from Cola Boyy sees the Oxnard singer and activist brings soul to the righteously engaged track whilst the squelchy synths and buoyant grooves burn slow, allowing the stealthy arrangements and message room to resonate.
While Godin’s vocoder vocals also hark back to Air’s early work, the album accommodates a diverse spread of guest vocalists elsewhere. Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor guests on the falsetto-soul dream-pop of Catch Yourself Falling, one of Godin’s sweetest melodies yet. Psychedelic soul singer Kadhja Bonet sings with measured serenity over tremulous synths on We Forgot Love, while Russian experi-pop artist Kate NV brings a gracefully aching romanticism to the blissful swoon-pop of Back to Your Heart.
Additionally, Australian conceptual provocateur Kirin J Callinan contributes a vocal of restrained drama to Time on My Hands, a midnight-drift soft pop ballad with a silky allure. Between its title-track and the sultry, smoky jazz stylings of closer Cité Radieuse, ‘Concrete and Glass’ is an album that truly travels, in tune with its global pitch. For Godin, it marks another milestone in a musical journey that began when Air’s 1998 debut album, ’Moon Safari’, became the sublimely weightless soundtrack of its time. For ‘Concrete and Glass,’ Godin builds on his storied past with tremendous finesse, charm and fluency, opening fresh windows of perspective at every lovingly executed turn.
‘Concrete and Glass’ tracklist
1. Concrete and Glass
2. Back To Your Heart ft. Kate NV
3. We Forgot Love ft. Kadjha Bonet
4. What Makes Me Think About You
5. Time On My Hands ft. Kirin J Callinan
6. The Foundation ft. Cola Boyy
7. Catch Yourself Falling ft. Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip)
8. The Border
9. Turn Right Turn Left
10. Cité Radieuse
‘Concrete and Glass’ will be released January 24 via Because Music and is available to preorder here.
For more information on Nicolas Godin, visit nicolasgodin.com.
