Longevity is something that can be quite elusive for the modern musician. The constant pressure to consistently create is something that everyone feels more so than ever these days. Enter Sydney Valette - the Parisian artist has been active for over a decade and while he is influenced by sounds of the past, his productions have evolved into something fresh and unique. His latest release, Brothers (Oráculo Records), came out last week and it’s a testament to his diverse sound, chilling lyrics and dark atmospheres. Fusing a mix of synth-punk, EBM, wave and more, Brothers caught our attention and we wanted to speak with the artist about the release, his history and what he’s doing during this crazy period. (see interview below)

Sydney Valette - Brothers (Oraculo Records, 2020)

The Brvtalist: For those that don't know, tell us about your music history and the start of the Sydney Valette project.

Sydney Valette: Well SV is my name and I began making computer based music around 2005 (I have a classical/jazz piano background). I was a student in philosophy, soon turning to fine arts, so I was also drawing/painting and doing some photos at that time. Music took over step by step, and when a label was interested in what I was doing, around 2009, I had the perfect excuse to drop everything else. My first album was released in 2011 which was a recollection of all those years since 2005. It was ultra DIY - I didn’t have any synths, even midi synths, no microphone besides the computer’s and all I had was just a crappy Lenovo with Cubase and a mouse. I was doing 8bit Electro pop, influenced by Crystal Castles, Kap Bambino, Metronomy, etc. but sometimes it went more on the experimental side, like deconstructed ambient music with words I don’t know how to describe. After that, I kept on doing it and four other albums came after and here we are in 2020.

TB: Your sound is nostalgic but maintains a fresh modernity. Talk about the balance between channeling influences from the past and still bringing the sound into the future.

SV: Well, no big news we children of the 80’s often like music from that time, and I'm no exception. I began listening to a lot of minimal wave/synth punk music around 2010. I fell in love with the sound, the simplicity of it and of course the format - 1 bass, 1 synth, a drum machine and vocals. To me, that was the perfect way to express oneself as a bedroom artist. This sense of immediacy and intimacy grabs impressions very swiftly and brings them back into a machine. Since then, other influences have been especially rave music/gabber, industrial techno, so I tried building something between those genres, which I think Brothers is the reflection. I have some difficulties with channeling what I do into one style, because I think of EPs and albums as stories with different layers and colors.

TB: You latest 12", Brothers, is out on Ocáculo Records (a great label). Tell us about crafting the release and any concepts or themes behind it.

SV: It was supposed to be out a bit later this year but I told Nico from Oráculo that it would be a good idea to release it now, during these weird times. The last 2-3 years have been very full in terms of releases: there was Fight Back in February 2018, How Many Lives my 5th album in February 2019, then the Russian EP in November, a How Many Lives remix album in February 2020, and now Brothers. So that’s 5 releases in 2 years! I think Brothers has more of a concept behind it than previous releases as a consequence of the present situation: political manipulation, global warming, strikes, bombings, wars, the pandemic, etc. it’s pretty hectic time. I think we now link our lives more to the global situation than before, which is good and so Brothers is a way of trying to link myself to others, and think of our future in new ways.

TB: How are you passing the time during this pandemic?

SV: I'm at home alone with my cat Bernard (IG star) in my 20 sq. meter apartment. It’s not that different from my normal life as I work from home but it’s not easy. I'm working a lot on music, learning new software and improving my studio workflow. I'm also playing the piano again and working out/meditating everyday, so in a way it’s a pretty healthy period.

TB: What's coming up next/anything else you would like to mention.

SV: You can preorder the Brothers vinyl on Oráculo. Im working on new tracks with a new workflow, which might result in a change to my live performance. Also mixing the upcoming album of Simon Mino (Third Coming Records), with whom I'm also performing. Normally, a few gigs here and there starting from July - London, Paris, if possible. It’s difficult to say what’s coming up next since everything is on hold until September at least. Otherwise, big up to Nico from Oráculo, my fellows in Paris, my family and you Jeremy for this!

Brothers is out now on Oráculo Records. You can pick yours up on Bandcamp.

-JRS