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temper

I've been immersed in Benoit Pioulard's hazy and haunting new record all afternoon, and while I really loved his last effort, my initial thoughts are that this one is even better. Recorded in both Michigan (the first half) and Portland (the second), Pioulard discusses how the change of scenery affected the recording of Temper:

"My mindset when I still lived in Michigan was a lot of anticipation and uncertainty, so I think that definitely affected the songs I recorded while I was there. And when I got here I found a lot of sudden inspiration in my new surroundings, different circumstances and everything that I'm sure had an effect on the songs I recorded thereafter so sequentially it's almost chronological. There are a couple songs that are out of order, but the first half is, for the most part, from the first part of the year, and the second part is absolutely from the latter half."

That "sudden inspiration" might explain why the second half of this record is made up of some of the best songs I've heard this year, including these two. Read the rest of the interview here.

Temper is out October 14 on Kranky. Pioulard will also offer a limited number of handmade copies, which promise to be amazing if they're anything like the handmade versions of Precis. Watch the video for "Idyll" here. Pioulard also takes beautiful Polaroids; view his photos here.

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previously:

If you're unfamiliar with Pioulard's atmospheric folk-pop, this is as good a place as any to start:

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