Flavien Berger – contrebande 02.le disque de l’été

Emerging in 2015, Flavien Berger has quickly risen to the heights of popularity thanks to his savvy pop, which is both unusual enough to intrigue, and accessible enough to turn the heads of hipsters in search of fresh new sounds. That said, Flavien Berger is not your usual pop singer. Committed to a highly personal approach to observation, collage and storytelling, this synthesizer enthusiast creates delicate, surrealist sound worlds that are impossible to categorize, and pop pieces that can be heard while shopping in the supermarket. A master of duality of sorts. This can be explained by his yin-yang approach: each “real” album (Léviathan, 2015; Contre-Temps, 2018; Dans cent ans, 2023) has been followed by a b-side made up of collages, instrumental pieces, field recordings, and experiments.

contrebande 02.le disque de l’été is the flip side of Dans cent ans, which explored aging and finitude last year. In itself, contrebande 02.le disque de l’été is a collection of sketches and pretty melodies that won’t become hits. Interesting, without being major. However, this way of working allows the artist to keep one foot in the margins. Subtly luminous, with moments of tenderness and insouciance, like a late-summer evening, this counter-album won’t make history, but it does offer an intimate look at a pop artist who captures the times like few others.