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Adrift (Ten years before Scardanelli)

by Demian Clav

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    CD Digipion 9 morceaux (9 tracks) Artwork by E. Detoc & D. Clavreul

    Includes unlimited streaming of Adrift (Ten years before Scardanelli) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 5 Demian Clav releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Creature, Music for Strange Films, Adrift (Ten years before Scardanelli), Wisteria Lodge, and Nightfall Prayers. , and , .

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1.
Fall 06:12
"Erase this trembling voice..."
2.
Eventyr 03:35
3.
Holy Road 04:01
4.
5.
"... mais la magie des souvenirs, les frissons d'une sainte nostalgie ..."
6.
7.
8.
"This light is made of tears"
9.
Annonciation 04:15
10.

about

Third official Demian Clav album.

Alors que l’écho mystérieux de Wisteria Lodge (fantastique réussite sortie chez Prikosnovénie début 2011) résonne encore dans nos esprits, les Nantais, trio depuis peu, reviennent aujourd’hui avec une œuvre tout aussi lunaire et passionnante. Adrift aborde le thème de la dérive, de ses dangers et bienfaits à travers une réflexion philosophique (faut-il se perdre pour mieux se trouver ?). Charpenté autour de desseins romanesques, l’œuvre peut être présenté comme un conte musical comprenant dix chapitres. Conjonction de deux forces d’inspiration (D. Clavreul : chant, guitare & synthés et JC. Wintrebert : batterie & violoncelle), parfumée de romantisme, l’écriture poétique de Demian Clav peut renvoyer à un Bowie doté d’un accent gothique et à des Floyds qui se seraient laissés gagner par trop d’anxiété. Les crispations électriques n’apparaissent que rarement, laissant le champ libre à des orchestrations de cordes soyeuses et rêveuses, à une boite à musique qui obsède (et cette sensation d’observer le carrousel des souvenirs tourner devant nous sur « Edelweiss Flight »). Entre ambiances oniriques, contemplatives et tensions rares mais nécessaires, Demian Clav scénarise le beau à l’intérieur d’un décorum symphonique précieux (« Slow Boat to now » et sa douceur mélancolique). Le chant, lui, fragile et émotionnel, occupe une place inédite dans l’œuvre des Nantais : il n’a jamais été aussi présent, déterminant dans cette danse au clair de lune. Etonnamment serein après l’écoute de ces dix titres, on repose le disque, heureux et remué tout en s’avouant à soi-même que sans musique, la vie ne serait pas grand-chose. Œuvre de l’imaginaire par excellence et miroitement de sentiments dont il ne faut pas avoir peur, Adrift ruisselle de la passion de ses auteurs. (Obsküre/ Yänn Mondragon)

The French band previously released 2 albums; the “Wisteria Lodge” (2011) released by Prikosnovénie was for sure the most noticeable one. Demian Clav now strikes back with a new and delicate opus merging neo-classic,ethereal and gothic influences. “Adrift” is an invitation to join a dark, but beautiful sound universe. Demian Clav guides the visitors through a very intimate world made of delicacy and subtle arrangements. The use of acoustic instruments like a cello and violin accentuate the neo-classic and artistic creation. It also empowers the melancholic impressum of several songs. Next to the acoustic instruments, the songs have also been uplifted by guitar parts and electronic arrangements. Some of the songs have a strong visual aspect, which makes me say that Demian Clav also moves towards cinematographic music. The song “The Art-Scattered Surface Of The Earth” is a poignant and illustrating example in the genre. But a real typical characteristic of the production concerns the vocals. D. Clavreul sings on most of the songs, but several guest- and backing vocalists have been asked as well. It injects an interesting- and here again neo-classic element. The vocals were sung in French and English and often dealing with a kind of dark poetry. “Adrift” truly sounds as a gift for all lovers of ethereal and neo-classic music. This album is an intriguing, diversified and fascinating experience, which I can only but recommend! (Side-Line/Elise Din)

Depuis Wisteria Lodge, Demian Clav est passé de duo à trio en intégrant le bassiste Jean-Yves Brard. Un ajout instrumental dont on aurait pu craindre qu’il entache d’une modernité malvenue le style si élégamment nostalgique de ces Nantais. Mais la touche rock qu’elle apporte n’égratigne finalement pas la délicate patine sous laquelle Adrift demeure préservé dans un néoclassicisme où le violoncelle et le clavier en mode piano règnent sur un monde de mystère et de secret. Les voix s’y chuchotent, s’y épanchent en des mélodies un brin surannées ou s’y intègrent sous la forme de samples étranges, morceaux d’une mosaïque qu’il nous appartient d’assembler. Nullement assoupi dans cette bulle de romantisme sombre, Demian Clav rejoint l’exaltation poétique d’âmes des siècles passés et la laisse éclater en des élans passionnés d’une mélancolie plus lyrique qu’abattue. (Jessica Boucher-Rétif - Longueur d’Ondes)

The musicians that were responsible for the music on Adrift are D. Clavreul, on vocals, guitar and keyboards, J.C. Wintrebert, formerly known as JCW on drums, keyboards and cello, and J.Y. Brard on bass. Furthermore several guest musicians have been included. You could say that this third album is a dark, poetic tale of fragility and frustration; a dark musical epic divided into nine very different creations. It ranges from a French story told against the background of a plaintive cello and strings to psychedelic rock with loud sounding drums, synthesizers and rhythmic wave samples. You might describe the music of Demian Clav as a mixture of French chansons, classical and ambient music, and gothic and progressive rock. The songs are mostly rather laid-back and mellow. It's not easy to mention related acts to the music of this band. When you listen to the spoken parts in French and English it's hard to deny that these parts could have been taken from the albums Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) recorded. However, occasionally an album as The Wall (1979) crossed my mind as well, mainly due to the same kind of atmospheres and soundscapes. But also acts like Karda Estra and No-Man could possibly be regarded as musical references.
Demian Clav remains a unique band that clearly is preoccupied with song structures and instrumental combinations. Their kind of dark music is certainly not easy to digest for the average music lover, but if you take the time to listen to the music more often, you might discover that there's a lot to enjoy. However, you have to be in the right mood for it! Anyway, Adrift is still a strong effort that could appeal to many devotees of progressive rock music. (Henri Strik / Background Magazine)

Demian Clav from Nantes, France, describes their music as, "Somewhere in between pure melancholia and real darkness." Adrift is the band's third album following Wisteria Lodge, from 2011, and Nightfall Prayers, back in 2009. Yes the music is dark, and Clavreul's unique vocals help add to the atmospherics, providing intrigue to the darkness emanating from this concept album about the life of German poet Friedrich Hölderlin. The story involves Hölderlin's life before his descent into madness. He is eventually locked in a tower in Tübingen, Germany to protect all concerned. Hölderlin wrote a series of strange poems while in confinement, where he details his transition to his alter ego - Scardanelli. The music is haunting and extremely unique and that makes it worth the experience. Classical Romantic era themes full of piano and elaborate keyboards make this experience worthwhile. The lead and bass guitar work and drums are well developed and provide just the right mood and ambiance. The cellos and violin add to the dark atmosphere perfectly. The music at times moves ploddingly along, especially at the beginning. But once it gets going on the second track it moves faster, creating unique and well performed sounds that set it apart from anything you have probably heard before. The story is set in French, but you can follow along with the dramatic special sound effects which fill the soundscape. On "Edelweiss Flight", "The Art – Scattered Surface of the Earth", "Living Sculpture", "All Night Party", and "Slow Boat to Nowhere", Clavreul sings English lyrics. The piano and keyboard work alone is worth the price of admission to this symphony. Just in time for Halloween, this one will provide a great backdrop or background music for any seasonal parties or gatherings. If you know French you can uncover all of the stories set to lyrics. A unique piece of music, which seems harder and harder to find these days. (Mark Johnson/Sea of Tranquility)

After Demian Clav dealt with the “Wisteria Lodge“ referring to the same-titled Sherlock Holmes story they now move into more poetic regions and create a mixture of Gothic Poetry and Rock music. “Somewhere between melancholy and pure darkness.” However, they do not only move between these two extremes but furthermore, poach into regions that refer to Gothic without touching any clichés of this Genre. Postrock (Holy Road) meets ballads (Edelweiss Flight) or all between Jazz, Chanson, even Spacerock in one song (All night party). An eclectic and iridescent-surreal masterpiece of darkness and beauty going its very own way. (TristanOsterfeld/Alternativmusik.de)

The music of Demian Clav is electro-acoustic, a mixture of Gothic Poetry and Rock, Darkwave, Chamber Music, and Melancholic Music with influences that range from Nick Drake, The Cure, Peter Hammill, Joy Division. But the predominance of gothic-grayish atmospheres, the melancholic and nostalgic moods, and the romantic and passionate disposition of the arrangements, which are rich in Classical themes, prone Demian Clav to fit well into a group formed by Dark acts such as Lacrimosa, L’Âme Immortelle, Deine Lakaien, Ataraxia, Nox Arcana, Clan of Xymox, Jocelyn Pook, and others. “Adrift…” features 9 tracks. The most beautiful are those that have a predominance of Chamber strings, delicate keyboards, and soft percussion, all driven by the introspective voice of Clavreul (who sings in English). Such are the opening track “Fall” (06:12), a Chamber piece driven by vocals instilled with emotion, anguish and despair; the dreamy “Edelweiss Flight” (04:10), on which vibraphones reconstruct the fairish and unreal atmospheres reminiscent of Debussy led by sad and sensitive Hammill-Drake-like vocals; and “All Night Party” (07:24), which progressively grows from calm arrangements for bass and pianos to agitated and unexpected interventions of orchestral drums and strings, reaching a part with slow guitar solo and organs (recalling me of very early works of Lacrimosa). Other highlights are the melancholic ballads “Living Sculpture” (03:35), a gothic-romantic waltz, with poignant vocals, piano & cello; and “Slow Boat to Nowhere” (04:45), which is soaring and moving, presenting a solo of cello. Listeners in search of more agitated or danceable music will prefer “Holy Road” (04:01), a dramatic, entrancing and pulsing electronic Darkwave (like Lacrimosa, Clan of Xymox, Cinema Strange). The album brings also Art-Rock songs or, more precisely, three Musical Gothic-Poems - all have monologue voices declaiming Gothic Poetry in French, immersed in introspective atmospheres, merged with sonic patches of sounds, voices/talks, and minimalist musical arrangements: “Eventyr” (03:35) has a background of somber strings; “The Art-Scattered Surface of the Earth” (04:45) is an Expressionist piece that contains fragments of poems of Novalis declaimed in an spiritual ambience, amidst arising symphonic parts; while on the closing track “Annonciation” (04:15), the support for the declamation is provided by ghostly pianos. A sonic-transporting experience to the realms of the deep introspectiveness, where dwells the true melancholic stylishness of the Gothic modus vivendi – Damien Clav’s “Adrift” cannot be missed by fans of the Darkwave, Gothic Music and Melancholic-Introspective Music segments, being highly recommended for fans of Lacrimosa, This Mortal Coil, L’Âme Immortelle, Deine Lakaien, Ataraxia, Jocelyn Pook, Nox Arcana, Clan of Xymox, A Covenant of Thorns, Arcana, Chandeen, Cinema Strange, Dead Can Dance”, “Die Verbannten Kinder Evas, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, Miranda Sex Garden, Ordo Equitum Solis, L'Orchestre Noir, Otto Dix and so on. (Marcelo Trotta /Progressive Rock )

credits

released April 25, 2013

© All tracks by D. Clavreul & J. C Wintrebert
Yajna Editions 2013

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Demian Clav Paris, France

Victorian Rock

"Somewhere in between pure melancholia and real darkness."

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