The French electronic music duo composed of cousins Guillaume and Jonathan Alric were one of the many, and the best, acts on the line-up for the Portuguese edition of the iconic Sónar festival. Known for their profoundly moving videos and unique brand of French-infused electronic music, they delivered one of the most moving and thrilling performances of the entire festival. Having last sat down with them six years ago, we had the pleasure to catch up with them.
During the last and best day of Sonar, we found ourselves next to ISAbella’s dressing room to sit down with the French duo. On their rider we could see loads of fruit, nuts, water, some beers and some sweet treats — all they needed to deliver one of the most forward-thinking and immersive experiences of that entire weekend. Fresh off having remixed pop diva Dua Lipa’s song Illusion off her latest album Radical Optimism, we get an exclusive peek and tease that they, self-admittedly, rarely ever give in to what’s next for them and what they’ve been keeping under wraps. Lucky us. As well as discussing the death of the music video, a craft they have mastered, displaying the beautiful aspects of humankind through emotive and diverse storytelling and so much more. Without further ado, here’s the interview.
Hi guys! Thank you for having me. The last time METAL talked to you was in 2019, before COVID. What are some key takeaways or highlights for you in all these years? What have you learnt?
Jonathan: Wow, that is a very lush question, but it’s a good one. There have been a lot of different concerts that we've done till now. I don't have a really good memory, but we played at home in Paris, in Bercy, which, when you play there, is super cool. And we played with all our family and all our friends there. So, it was a really interesting gig for us. Do you remember anything else?
Guillaume: There's so much because we've had a lot of gigs for a long time. We also had the pandemic situation, so we got time to build our new album. And it was a kind of traumatic situation, you know, but for us, it stopped the world a bit and offered us more time to create. After that, it was touring and touring a little bit all over the world. So, yeah, it was cool.
Guillaume: There's so much because we've had a lot of gigs for a long time. We also had the pandemic situation, so we got time to build our new album. And it was a kind of traumatic situation, you know, but for us, it stopped the world a bit and offered us more time to create. After that, it was touring and touring a little bit all over the world. So, yeah, it was cool.
What does being part of the Sonar lineup mean to you?
Guillaume: Personally, I didn't see the lineup. But I knew Sonar before performing at Sonar because it's a very famous electronic festival, so it means a lot. But it's a Sunday, so I didn't take the time to see the lineup (laughs).
Jonathan: To be honest with you, me neither. I just saw, yesterday, I think, Nina Kravitz playing. And tonight, there is Jeff Miles, but usually, I also don't really look at the lineup (laughs).
Jonathan: To be honest with you, me neither. I just saw, yesterday, I think, Nina Kravitz playing. And tonight, there is Jeff Miles, but usually, I also don't really look at the lineup (laughs).
What are you most looking forward to tonight?
Guillaume: Well, for tonight, it's fun because we are performing at 7pm. It's very early. We usually play later.
Do you have a preference?
Jonathan: I think by night, people give themselves away; they are more free, more drunk.
Guillaume: But a Sunday at 7pm could be nice because people have all the weekend already in their minds, so we'll see.
Guillaume: But a Sunday at 7pm could be nice because people have all the weekend already in their minds, so we'll see.
How do you aim to translate the cinematic touch you have in your videography to your live performances?
Jonathan: During the live show, we also try to tell a story. The way we structure the tracks, we start with a calmer track to let people start entering the trance. And, yes, it's very hard to explain, but there is a story that we try to tell. I think everybody has their own vision of a story. It's not like a precise story. We try to do it also by not showing ourselves as performers; we try to do it as silhouettes. So, people are looking more at our screens, because we have five big screens where we project images.
What range of BPMs do you work best with?
Jonathan: Usually, it's between 120 and 128, so maybe we can say 123 or 124. Let's say 123, usually.
You recently remixed Dua Lipa’s Illusion. What’s it like working with and remixing other artists' songs?
Guillaume: We chose this song because Dua Lipa asked us many times for a remix, but we didn't find a proper song that we would like to remix, and this one we loved. It's cool because we are completely free to do whatever we want to do because it's a pop song. It was a good experience to do that.
Do you think it's a one-time thing, or are you going to remix more songs in the future from other artists?
Guillaume: We just work with feelings, so sometimes we have a good proposition, and if we feel it, we do it. Maybe one day, I don't know, we would like to remix a song we love and have to ask the artists.
There's been a lot of debate or controversy about the idea of music videos being dead because of TikTok and shorter streaming platforms and our attention spans. As artists, cinematography plays a big part in your visual identity and your music. What do you think is essential in keeping it alive?
Jonathan: Good question. I think what is important is to do what you want; for us what was important was to tell stories and to talk about marginality, youth, and other subjects that matter to us. We like the music video because it's short, but at the same time it's long enough to tell a story, to tell a real story, and to give some emotion to the viewer. The TikTok format — I'm not familiar with TikTok, but I think it's quite short.
Guillaume: Yeah, it's like 15 seconds.
Jonathan: At the same time, I've seen some stuff on TikTok that I cried watching, so for me, I don't really care as long as it's efficient, it works, and it gives you chills and gives you emotion. I don't care about the formats of TikTok.
Guillaume: Yeah, it's like 15 seconds.
Jonathan: At the same time, I've seen some stuff on TikTok that I cried watching, so for me, I don't really care as long as it's efficient, it works, and it gives you chills and gives you emotion. I don't care about the formats of TikTok.
I don't know if you've seen TikTok; sometimes they divide the music video into fifteen parts, and people scroll through multiple parts. How would you feel if you were scrolling and then you saw your music videos like that?
Guillaume: The problem is that I just hope that people won't forget that they can watch videos for four or five minutes. It will be sad if in the future people will look at videos for only fifteen seconds, you know. We'll see what we'll do in the future with that.
Jonathan: And about the divided part, it's not a good thing. Also, people are losing the way to watch things properly. A lot of people are watching stuff on their phones, and when you do a music video or film, it's better if people watch it on a big screen because it has been made for this since the beginning.
Jonathan: And about the divided part, it's not a good thing. Also, people are losing the way to watch things properly. A lot of people are watching stuff on their phones, and when you do a music video or film, it's better if people watch it on a big screen because it has been made for this since the beginning.
Speaking of music videos, do you guys have a favourite music video you can think of right now?
Jonthan: I really, really enjoy the Romain Gavras music video; it's called Stress. I don't know if you've seen it; it's really nice because it's really intense and realistic. I remember when I watched it for the first time; I was wondering if it was a documentary or if it was fiction, and I learnt a lot from that music video.
Guillaume: Pass This On by The Knife also looks a little bit realistic. It's just a trans person who's singing in a kind of room where maybe people don't expect her to, and there's something, I don't know, realistic and poetic, and that's why I love it.
Guillaume: Pass This On by The Knife also looks a little bit realistic. It's just a trans person who's singing in a kind of room where maybe people don't expect her to, and there's something, I don't know, realistic and poetic, and that's why I love it.
In previous interviews you’ve said you like local food before a big show, so what have you been eating in Lisbon?
Jonathan: I think that was me (laughs). It's funny because I was in Lisbon, like, one month ago, and yes, the food's still amazing. I really liked the fish with a lot of olive oil, like, really thrown in the olive oil with the potatoes and everything; I don't know if that has a precise name. Also, polvo?
Guillaume: Octopus?
Jonathan: Yeah, octopus.
Guillaume: Octopus?
Jonathan: Yeah, octopus.
What are some artists you’re listening to a lot currently?
Jonathan: I'm listening to not a precise artist, but a genre. A lot of film music, music from films. From Thomas Newman to big soundtracks of films. I don't know; I really like it. There are no lyrics; it's soft.
Guillaume: I'm more into electronic music. Things like Bryan Kessler. He’s not so famous, but I love this kind of music he's done. Yeah, it's more electronic for now.
Guillaume: I'm more into electronic music. Things like Bryan Kessler. He’s not so famous, but I love this kind of music he's done. Yeah, it's more electronic for now.
You have a lot of dates ahead, so I wanted to know how you feel about being booked in so many festivals?
Guillaume: Sometimes tired, but also happy. For the summer, we'll be doing more DJ sets because we have been touring live for three years. It's not really the same; there's not so much pressure with the DJ sets. It's more fun, like you can change many things every night. But yeah, it's good to travel and discover people and discover the world like this.
So, would you say that having all these dates has taught you something, to deal with it better?
Jonathan: You mean the experience we had during all these years?
Yeah, and what do you apply now that maybe you didn't before?
Jonathan: Ah, I don't know if there is a big change; I think that's why we may be still grounded, because we try to experience all this the same way as it was in the beginning. So, we come, we play, we try to enjoy it, and yes, there is no big change.
Lastly, it’s been over two years since your album JUNGLE; what have you been working on in the meantime? Would you like to tease something?
Jonathan: We are very secretive about this (laughs).
I know; I was reading some interviews, but maybe I could crack you?
Jonathan: Nice try, nice try.
Guillaume: Actually, we are working on a live album that we've been recording in Royal Albert Hall in London, and it will be released as soon as possible. This is the first time we are talking about it (laughs).
Guillaume: You're the first person.
Guillaume: Actually, we are working on a live album that we've been recording in Royal Albert Hall in London, and it will be released as soon as possible. This is the first time we are talking about it (laughs).
Guillaume: You're the first person.
Exclusive! Thank you very much.
Jonathan: No, thank you!
Guillaume: Yes, it was very nice.
Guillaume: Yes, it was very nice.
