Trancept suprised me with "Static Sun" some days ago, by the way an amazing post-punk track. Now we have had the chance to ask Trancept something about influences, talents and what's next. So here are the answers to our questions. Thanks a lot for your time!
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Trancept is...?
Trancept is a strange entity from France, delivering a mystical shoegaze inspired by dark wave and post-punk. Trancept played some gigs in Paris last years and released the "Trajectory" EP in June 2021. On stage I perform the songs with Sébastyén D. of Opium Dream Estate on keyboards. The sound reaches a new kind of spiritual alchemy. For "Trajectory", Grégoire Galichet (Vent Debout, Glacation, Deathcode Society) records brilliant drums parts, enlightening the quintessence of the tracks. I am working with Studios Soyuz (recording) & Sicarius Productions (mixing/mastering).
Who inspired you to make music in general?
I used to listen to a lot of classical music when I was young, and then a lot of UK rock in my revered nineties. At that time, I just wanted to play the songs I liked. In the beginning of Trancept, I was focused on atmospheric music, in front of computers, with machines... I needed to build a musical universe after long workdays, inspired by French bands like Air or M83.
New dark-wave/post-punk bands emerged these past few years. Going to a lot of their gigs in France and abroad made me want to play guitar again, buy new stomps, and play live. But Trancept's main influences are the shoegaze scene and some of its spearheads (Slowdive, Ride, Chapterhouse, Bowery Electric), various post-punk or dark wave bands (Wire, The Cure, first Dead Can Dance albums, The Durutti Column, Interpol, Drab Majesty...) There are other influences like French literature, paintings, meditation and spirituality, deep and picturesque French landscapes......and especially to "Trajectory"?
The EP deals with a life trajectory. "Static Sun" evokes the energetic and idle youth. It is the real post-punk track of the EP, with some kind of urban energy. "Imperial Phase" relates to the life apex, imbued with confusion between dream and reality. "Polygons" represents the end of life, as a melancholic meditation about eternity and the passing of time. The artwork drawn by Jeff Grimal is very evocative. A kind of "shoeg' hazy" dream, involving meditation of beauty, evocating the grandeur of nature and unreachable, mysterious universes. Unexpectedly, it reminds me of some contemplative thoughts I got during the first lockdown.
What's your favorite song on the EP?
I love the three tracks. But I must admit that "Imperial Phase" got an epic, anthemic spirit. I am very happy of the coherence of the structure, of the progression of the song, espousing a deep romantic new wave style, subcousciously inspired by The Smiths. Guitar arpegiattos seem running a little but relentless marathon. Vocals seem endangered and celebrating something in the same time. It is an intense track.
What is your creative process like?
For this record, I stood up near my amp with my guitar, my Boss stomps, slightly drowning myself in chorus and reverb, with a slight overdrive and some delay. I tried to find the deep atmospheres of Bowery electric first album and some arpegiattos sounds you can find in Drab Majesty or Durutti Column's music. A kind of spiritual exercise... The riffs came very quickly during the same "short" period. I met difficulties to write new good songs after them. It was like a "window songwriting opportunity", with three tracks of the same kind, replying to each other. Then I built the trilogy concept.
What is the most useful talent you have?
The ability to create a meditative process in simple and coherent songs. Well, I am trying to!
...and the most useless talent?
I guess there is no useless talent. Each can be valued for its own sake. But I got some guitar skills that may be underused in recordings. I have to think about it, in order to find the right place and the right time for such kind of lead parts.
If you could change anything in the past, what would it be?
Maybe working a bit sooner with sound engineers, instead of stubbornly completing the tracks myself, although it is very instructive.
How do you feel the Internet (especially Social Media platforms) has impacted the music business?
Social and media networks are powerful tools to promote your music, to design a universe around it, to build a little "home" for it. They involve much time and a specific frame of mind. Networks sometimes push you to create another self, slightly different of what you are, of the intimate nature of your project. On Trancept side, we do not show up that much. But interviews are always pleasant, providing an overview of the project, stimulating musical thought processes, enriching discussion with webzines. It is a win-win opportunity.
What’s next for you?
Trancept is working on alternate mixes of "Trajectory", in order to cast a different light on the tracks. With the same material we can create new things, telling other "ambient stories", then opening new worlds.
