Philédouche (EP)

Following in the footsteps of many artists who have dropped surprise recordings in this period of pandemic, Philémon Cimon releases six songs under the title Philédouche. The countertenor folkie offers modern atmospheres for acoustic guitars, piano, and chamber orchestra including violin, bassoon, and double bass. Mother, sister, ex-girlfriend and other characters staged in an intimate environment constitute the fragments of stories in which the vibe is not particularly up-with-life. He thanks his mom, mourns the end of a finite world, badmouths the douchebag that seduced his princess, urges his sister to flee an apparently toxic environment, symbolically removes a corpse from his own body, and occasionally self-flagellates. Nicolas Basque (guitars), Adèle Trottier (vocals and piano) and Josianne Boivin (vocals and synthesizer) were Philémon’s main sidekicks for this short-format work. Pomme shares a duet entitled “La violence” with Philémon, and other musicians were invited to perform the arrangements. Generally soft and peaceful, the music on the program contrasts with the darkness and greyness of some of the author’s lyrics. This tension faithfully expresses his hypersensitivity and lucidity in a context of profound uncertainty about the present time.