Our 1er guest is the musician, songwriter and performer BabXfor the release of his new album A house with a piano in it.
Born into a family of artists and musicians, David Babin started learning the piano at the age of 5.
Following his first approach to the stage as a member of the polyphonic troupe “Glotte-Trotters”, directed by Martina A. Catella, David composed his first performance music at the age of 17 for a show based on the texts of Roland Topor and joined the company de l’Herbe Tendre.
At the beginning of the 2000s, David wrote his first songs and gave his first concerts. It was at this time that he opted for the pseudonym BABX.
BABX releases its 1er album in 2006. In a column in Epok magazine, Dominique A wrote about the album: “ it’s magnificent, because the music (…) cancels the actuality of the words and gives the feeling of a story that comes from far away. To be followed closely, at least “.
Following the release, the album is nominated for the Victoires de la Musique in the “revelation album of the year” category..
Two other discreet but significant events for the future punctuate the year 2006: the takeover of the Sofreson studio, which becomes Studio Pigalle and will henceforth be the place chosen by BABX and its team to carry out all their productions. And the production of a maxi of a few titles for a young singer still unknown, Raphaële Lannadère, who would become “L”.
In 2008, David and his team record Crystal Ballroomsecond album by BABX, a reverie inspired by the evocation of the musicians of the Titanic ballroom. It was at this time that he crossed paths with the legendary New York avant-garde guitarist Marc Ribot with whom he recorded the duet title Lady L at Dubway Studios in New York.
This album is also for Babx that of two important meetings: the American sound engineer Oz Fritz (Tom Waits, Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Bill Laswell…), with whom he began a lasting relationship, as well as the photographer Harry Gruyaert ( Magnum) of which one of the photos adorns the cover of Crystal Ballroom.
Concomitantly with the mixing of the album in the United States with Oz Fritz, BABX met the members of the “Metropolis Ensemble” (The Roots, Deerhoof…) led by conductor Andrew Cyr and began an artistic collaboration with them.
At the same time, BABX will be named a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition (whose jury members include Robert Smith, Tom Waits, Mc Coy Tyner, Ornette Coleman, etc.) with the song “Remington Requiem” and wrote two songs for Julien Doré “First Lady” and “Soirées Parisiennes” for the album Ersatz.
2009 was also the year in which BABX returned to show music, on the occasion of the creation of “Noctiluque” by Japanese dancer Kaori Ito at the Théâtre Vidy in Lausanne, which he co-composed with his close accomplice the guitarist/ oudist Grégory Dargent (L’Hijaz Car, Houria Aïchi, Rachid Taha, Sirventès).
In 2010, David Babin produced and arranged two successful first albums which established him as one of the key producers on the French scene: that of Camélia Jordana (for which he wrote several titles) and “Initiale” by L. The first will be a huge success of the year 2010 (platinum record, nomination for Victoires) while the second is gold record and unanimously considered one of the albums of the year 2011.
In 2012, BABX joined saxophonist and singer Thomas de Pourquery (Supersonic, Rigolus, DPZ, VKNG) for the programming and organization of the Brain Festival: a collective moment of music for the benefit of the fight against neuro-degenerative diseases in which will participate Oxmo Puccino, Jacques Higelin, André Minvielle, Poni Hoax, The Do, Camélia Jordana, L, Jeanne Added, etc.
2013, 3rd album titled Personal drones. This album, with a more electronic tone than the previous ones, evokes the avant-garde experiments of Laurie Anderson while remaining faithful to an organic form. He recorded it with his usual team at Studio Pigalle while inviting a new generation of musicians to his side, including Jeanne Added, Thomas de Pourquery, Arnaud Roulin (Poni Hoax), Pamelia Kurstin.
2014 is the year of the release of second album by Camélia Jordana In the skin, produced and arranged by BABX and on which he still writes and composes several songs including “Colonel Chagrin”, “Berlin” and “À l’aveuglette”.
It is finally the year of an important turning point in David’s career: by creating BisonBison, its own production househe gives himself the means to carry out his projects and the projects of other artists in complete independence and according to his principles.
There first release on BisonBison is “Cristal Automatique”, a project to set texts by “punk poets” Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Jean Genet, Tom Waits and Gaston Miron in particular (project born at the Correspondances de Manosque in 2009 at the instigation of Olivier Chaudenson)…
Finally 2023, Release A House with a Piano in it.
2024, new album, and return to poetry with a weakness for Haiti?
Titles performed at the big studio
– Joy Is My Namefrom the album A house with a piano in it
– Oh Earthextract of The Children’s March with the Maîtrise Populaire de l’Opéra-Comique.
– Wonder in the dugout Live RFI clip.
Line Up: David Babinpiano.
Sound: Jérémie Besset And Matthew Taylor
► Album A house with a piano in it (Buda Music 2023)
Then we receive Elliott Armen for the release of the album Turbulence.
Written and composed by Elliott Armen. Singer-songwriter and producer, Elliott grew up between Paris and his native Saint-Malo. Since his adolescence, he has composed on guitar and piano, echoing the landscapes that shelter his family home, located on the edge of a magnificent estuary. After high school, Elliott Armen traveled around Europe for two years working from farm to farm. Throughout these journeys, his hosts passed on to him knowledge drawn from the nourishing earth. In his luggage: his guitar and ukulele, his notebook and a simple microphone to record his first songs.
Today based near the Breton family home, Elliott Armen cultivates permaculture land, bringing the surrounding biodiversity back to life. Elliott Armen, who took his name from the lighthouse on the island of Sein, recorded his first album in a studio nestled on the island of Ouessant. Helium Balloons was released on March 31, 2022, punctuated by an exceptional concert opening for Miossec, at La Cigale, in Paris. Numerous dates followed, all equally prestigious: Pitchfork Festival, Midi Festival, Baisers Volés, Printemps de Bourge… and opening acts for renowned artists such as Jean-Louis Murat, Dominique A, Florent Marchet, Ariane Moffatt, Jay- Jay Johanson, Alexandra Streliski…
Discovered during this concert at La Cigale, Elliott Armen signed a contract with the prestigious SONY MASTERWORKS label. To date, his songs already have more than 3 million streams on all digital platforms. As a worthy heir to Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens or Andy Shauf, the young 24-year-old Breton uniquely mixes guitar and piano chords with his airy voice. His work is tinged with an intimate and woody atmosphere, endearing and timeless, always anchored between land and sea.
For his second album, Elliott Armen decided to go to Scotland, dreaming of a particularly isolated recording on the Isle of Lewis. This is where the inspiring Black Bay Studio, run by Peter Fletcher, is located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Elliott Armen left by ferry from Saint-Malo to reach, by bus, Stornoway, the main town of the island. From there, he began his walk which took him, for 200 kilometers, through splendid landscapes resembling a Celtic desert. After pitching his tent under the stars for twelve days, he arrived at his destination, imbued with the island. It was then that he immersed himself in total calm to record this new opus. This album is a journey through grief, love and loneliness. A translation of the immense landscapes that populate the Celtic lands. And a hymn to melancholy as the engine of joy. ARMEN – Ar Men “the rock” or “the stone” in Breton. Pink notebook: Elliott Armen is the son of Yann Tiersen.
Titles performed at the big studio
– Turbulence (guitar-vocals) Live RFI clip
– Strangersfrom the album Turbulence clip
-Red Deer (piano-voice) Live RFI.
Line up: Elliott Armenguitar, piano, voice.
Sound: Jérémie Besset, Mathias Taylor.
► Album Turbulence (Helium Balloons Records / Sony Masterworks 2024).