Fluidity: The Musical Odyssey of Frànçois & The Atlas Mountains
Fluid: that’s how one could describe the musical odyssey of Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains (F&AM). Just take a look at his life journey. Growing up in Saintes, France, on the banks of the Charente, Frànçois crossed the English Channel to settle in the UK in 2003, in the port city of Bristol. Initially a French teaching assistant, he gradually drifted into the independent music scene, which became an artistic and emotional laboratory for the young man. Drawing, animation, music… every medium has been explored by this multi-talented artist with a powerful creative energy.
“You’d show up in places, grab a guitar, some makeshift instrument, something you picked up at a flea market, and you’d create a kind of arte povera of pop,” the musician recalls about his Bristol years. There, he brushed shoulders with major figures of the freak folk scene, like Movietone and Panda Bear, who inspired his DIY approach. For four years, he produced his own records before being noticed by the labels Talitres and Fence in 2008. Then, in 2011, came Domino. F&AM became the first French artist to sign with this iconic label of the British alternative scene, where he stayed for over 10 years. His style weaves and reweaves itself across nearly a dozen records, transcending trends and genres. When asked to define it, the artist deflects, claiming not to set “any limits.” The only consistent thread through his career is his voice.
Today, he opens a new chapter with InFiné, whom he met after the pandemic, a time when the music scene was at its breaking point. Frànçois moved to Bordeaux, then Brussels, eventually settling in the Landes with its endless beaches. Âge Fleuve is the latest release from InFiné and the sixth studio album from F&AM. This warm and subtle record stands shoulder to shoulder with his previous works. It flows effortlessly, shining both through the richness of its style and the fluidity of the arrangements by producer Siau.
The album was crafted over four long years, shaped by the pandemic, during which Frànçois reformed his band and transitioned between two labels, starting with Domino before turning to InFiné. Then the death of his father upended everything, reigniting the machine of memory, which he translates in his own way: “Since I lost my father during the pandemic, this question of origin has resurfaced, along with memories.” Fragility, modesty, delicacy... Frànçois’ voice evokes illustrious contemporaries, from Devendra Banhart to Vincent Gallo, whose vocal inflections sometimes echo behind the uniquely French timbre.
Artists like Malik Djoudi with his captivating pop, in-demand jazzman Thomas de Pourquery, and British folk artist Rozi Plain all lend their talents to Âge Fleuve. These three delightful collaborations blend seamlessly into the album’s 10 tracks. But the album’s fluidity is also felt in the flavor of certain compositions, like the upbeat “Où mène la nuit,” a kind of mystical inquiry into the whirlwinds of youth. Then there’s “Aïeul inconnu,” whose apparent melancholy pairs perfectly with its elegant groove. “Adorer,” the duet with Thomas de Pourquery, is an uplifting track that jumps wholeheartedly into the joy of living in the “present moment.”
Âge Fleuve—or rather, a “liquid inspiration”—is built on a heritage of memory. And when one delves into the mystery of this heritage, the answer becomes clear: “We’re here, under this part of the river, further downstream. Everything communicates, everything is in motion.” In other words, an album flowing through the river of our sensory, intimate, and universal heritage.
