Robocool Robocop: Anoraak in Interview

Based in Nantes, French producer/ songwriter Anoraak is one of an increasing number of artists over the Channel who’s carving out a strong reputation away from the lights of Paris. With the recent release of his rather good ‘Wherever The Sun Sets’ album set to spread his name further across Europe, Artrocker’s Charlie Ashcroft caught up with him for a chat.

Salut Anoraak. How are you?
Salut! Ça va très bien.

Musically, ‘Wherever The Sun Sets’ comes across as quite a summery record. Do you feel like you’re putting some brightness into the winter months?
Basically, the record wasn’t supposed to be released in a specific period. I just think i have a lifetime obsession with summer heat, sunsets and palm trees. But if I’m brightening up the winter, I couldn't be happier!

The album has given you plenty of opportunities to work with other artists. Is there a particular collaboration with which you’re happiest?
It's hard to rank these, but I'll say Shy Child, because I've been a fan of theirs since early on. It’s been an honour to remix them, and even more of an honour to have their congratulations back.

Did your background in ‘guitar music’ push you in this more electronic direction?
I wouldn't say that - I'm still listening loads of indie rock music, but discovering and making electronic music a bit later on has given me the opportunity to cross the genres over. I see many good things in both, so why not mix them together?!

You’re known for your close association with Valerie Collective in Nantes. Is it hard for musicians in a city like Nantes to gain recognition from elsewhere, given that the international spotlight often falls on Paris?
It's actually not easy to get interest from other countries when you're not located in Paris, but I think this gave us a bit more credibility, as we weren’t coming from any hipster clan. We just arrived with good music at the right time. In the end, like other cities in France, Nantes got more attention thanks to the international exposure which comes from the Internet.

You’ve said in the past that “Everyone is a sound engineer in Paris – it’s like coming to L.A. and trying to be an actor.” Do you think this illustrates the Parisian music scenes’ depth of creativity, or is it increasingly hard for the quality to stand out?
Many people move to Paris because almost everything regarding music, cinema and art in general happens there. And one sixth of all French citizens live in and around Paris, so it’s naturally a huge centre of creativity. This is a good thing and a bad thing.

What are your plans for 2011?
Tour!

‘Wherever The Sun Sets’ is out now via Grand Blanc. Check out anoraakmusic.com for details.