Since 2014, Sébastien Carl is the Bordeaux-based musician behind hørd, a Darkwave/ Gothic project currently signed to AVANT! Records. hørd produces cold synth sounds that echo as if being reverbated from long forgotten cathedral walls. Being an apt guitarist as well, the influence of the wall of sound is apparent in his ghostly creations. Live, the musician appears enveloped by his sound, as if reveling in isolation and self-introspection. With 3 EP’s, 3 LP’s and several splits and remix albums to his name (outside of AVANT! Records, namely on labels such as Giallo Disco and SNTS), he is unquestionably a prolific artist.
Having been a pillar of Bordeaux’s dark music scene for most of the last decade, having collaborated with several prominent artists such as HANTE. and having more recently appeared on pandemic-born online gothic festival Gothicat, hørd hopes to soon have the chance to temporarily leave familiar European grounds and grace North American scenes for the first time now that the times have an air of normalcy again. Until then, here is a look into the enigmatic musician’s life’s soundscape.
Bodies, hørd’s most recent LP, is available through AVANT! Records.
Which music genre do you listen to the most? List your five favorite albums in that genre.
Recently, I listen the most to Electronic music of every genre. Also, a lot of Classical music sometimes, or atmospheric music like movie soundtracks, organs or choirs. I have phases where I listen to almost no music, like now. And some phases where I am overly curious and I dig deep into a specific genre or some specific musical movement. It’s really changing. Due to the easy access to almost everything, I try not to be drowned into bands name dropping or random music since I always look for a special connection or a specific emotion within a record.
Your five favorite rappers of all time? Name one song that best exemplifies what makes them great.
I can just name you 5 rap bands I love or that have listened to a lot :
DEATH GRIPS
NAS
ROOTS MANUVA
WU TANG CLAN (& ODB)
NON PHIXION
What’s the album you’ve listened to the most in your life? Do you still listen to it?
That would probably be some classic teenage years record. The one you would listen to when you woke up, during the day, before sleep, the one that blows your mind every time you hear the opening song. So, most probably Nevermind from NIRVANA, the same as for millions of others in the 90’s. This is an interesting phenomenon : the collective teenager obsession for a single band. I could also name Pornography and Faith from THE CURE, of course. BEATLES classics. RADIOHEAD. DEPECHE MODE. SERGE GAINSBOURG..
Do you remember the first time music had an impact on you?
Around 10, I remember my parents bought me two cassettes that I hadn’t chosen myself and a walkman (yes !) for summer holidays. It was QUEEN’s Greatest Hits II and INDOCHINE’s Greatest Hits. That summer I listened to them all the time. I remember being very impressed by some of QUEEN’s epic songs and their synthetic atmospheres on their highly produced 80’s recordings. A bit later, my neighbour, who was older than me, introduced me to THE BEATLES, US Hard Rock, and French Hip-hop such as NTM (famous French 90’s band).
What beloved music do you share with your parents? Any specific memories?
It’s been a really long time since I have shared music with my parents. As a teenager, I remember being in the car with my father, and he was ok with listening to an entire SEPULTURA album for the entirety of the trip. That’s a good memory I have of sharing music from one generation to another.
What are some of the most memorable shows you’ve ever seen? What makes them stand out?
I might have seen hundreds of shows since I was 16, in different genres, according to my musical periods and personal mood. But, spontaneously, I think of MOGWAI around 2003. I didn’t know MOGWAI, and a friend told me “Come with me Seb, this will be huge”. And it was. I wasn’t really aware of this kind of music, and I was really impressed by the wall of sound made by guitars (I am a guitarist too), and the cinematic and slow-motioned melancholic electric soundscapes developing in front of me.
THE CURE in 2000 is also a great memory, I didn’t know them very well at that time. At some point during the show, they played a song that totally blew me away. I remember feeling excited by the composition, the mood, this mechanic and apocalyptic feeling I had never heard before. The day after, I discovered the song was One Hundred Years, from Pornography. 10 years ago, I remember a band named BLACK COBRA. I was really impressed by the SLAYER-like energy in such a small club. I used to see like 2 or 3 shows a week at that time.
Much more recently (pre-covid era), I went to see EARTH. The sound wasn’t loud enough, but it was beautiful. And the last show that got me really excited was HEALTH, really awesome, I loved it. One last: LOS DEL MARE, an experimental French musician that totally captivated me.
Is there any band that you’ve always wanted to see live but never had the chance to catch them? Any classic show that you wish you could have experienced?
I would have really loved to see many,many things, yes…
DEPECHE MODE during the Devotional Tour in the 90’s.
One of THE DOORS’ great shows.
DAVID BOWIE in the 80’s must have been something too, really.
SERGE GAINSBOURG in the 80’s, when he finally went back on stage to meet his youngest generation of fans.
THE CURE during their early 80’s. Maybe that would have been too much for me, I don’t know.
BLACK SABBATH in 1970.
Discovering KRAFTWERK in the 70’s must have been amazing.
An Electronic band named FUCK BUTTONS, in the 2010’s.
I think I could find dozens of ideas for that question…
Is there any classic / universally acclaimed artist that you missed out on when they first came out and discovered way later? Any artist that you didn’t like at first and learned to appreciate over time?
Being focused on one genre isn’t possible for me. I have listened to many different things and always will, most probably. It’s more about phases. Too much music and projects to discover and be inspired by. Or just to love. Back to the question, I remember that I found NEIL YOUNG very slow and boring when I was around 18-20 and playing the guitar, I got the vinyls from my dad. Much later, I don’t know why, I understood what it was all about and I felt the rhythm and the slowness were so cool and beautiful then. Music has to do with our own internal rhythm as well. It evolves. I could probably find more contemporary examples, but this old one came to me first.
Do you have an artist that you love in a genre that you don’t usually listen to? What makes them stand out?
Of course. I am a fan of MILES DAVIS, he is one of my favorite music creators. I usually get back to his classics like Bitches Brew, or Kind Of Blue. I am not a Jazz specialist, but I’m interested in atmosphere and expressivity, generally. His music reminds me of fascinating colors dripped on a dark canvas.
Do you have any unpopular music opinions that you would like to defend? Something that you love and yet can hardly find anyone to agree on how great it is?
When I am with a friend who only listens to Rock, I tease them by saying “Rock bands are dead”.
What band or artist do you believe has achieved the most flawless sequence of 3 records in a row?
Spontaneously, I think of NINE INCH NAILS, from Pretty Hate Machine until The Fragile. It’s difficult to make such masterpieces. At least, there is a significant evolution in sound design and atmospheres. It’s really interesting when you can notice something happening from one record to another. I like to feel that from artists. That something happened, and not only within the music but also inside the artist; his life, his vision, his trip into music through the years.
Can you think of a band or artist that put out only one fantastic release (album, EP or demo) and then disbanded? One that you really wish would have kept going?
This is not so rare, but I can’t think of a particular one. Some band does a great artistic and successful record, then tries to do exactly the same after, or has no inspiration in composition or production, and it fails. Then the band disappears. But at least, they make one very good album that stands.
When shows are being played again, who do you want to see live first?
I haven’t gone to shows so often in the last couple of years. Since the early 2010’s, most clubs have closed around where I live. Death comes for them one after the other for small alternative venues with a decent (in my opinion) artistic vision.
But generally, I would see any band that doesn’t play in a stadium. Probably some good Electronic synth music, or Techno. The best would be an artist I don’t know about yet, so I can be happily surprised.
What albums have been on heavy rotation lately?
This winter I had big listening sessions of :
Volume Massimo, from ALESSANDRO CORTINI.
Architecture and Morality, from OMD.
Feel it break, from AUSTRA.
Too Deep, from KONTRAVOID.
What are you listening to right now, while answering these questions?
The modulations of my ventilator, it’s 35 (degrees celsius) here in France at the moment. Some piano is playing above, probably my neighbour. And a big machine somewhere around, as my city is under construction all the time. Soundscape is very important.
Is there anything (new album, tour) you would like to promote?
My 4th LP record will most probably be out in 2022, and I will tour for that.
I’d love to play in North America, by the way. I deeply wish we’ll be back to “normal” in 2022, at least for touring and meeting people as we used to do before Covid began.
This new record will be quite different from the others, and I’m really happy with that, as it follows my personal evolution. We have no other choice than to evolve and adapt all the time. Like some sophisticated virus.
No Comments