Urban and atmospheric, the music of French multi-instrumentalist Bruno Karnel borrows from various musical currents to create a highly personal style: post-rock, pop, prog, post-punk, metal...
In the footsteps of Las Ilusiones (2021) and Hic sunt dracones (2023), this third album Villa Solitude features eight tracks oscillating between melancholy and hope. Imaginary towns (Leaving Diaspar), dystopian urban centers (Okhta-Tsentr) or cities ravaged by war (Candlelight City) intersect in this musical travel diary where solitude is only apparent: for an acute ear, there is always a presence, lurking in the shadows of the notes - reassuring or threatening.
More instrumental and vintage than on its two predecessors, BK's music today is heavily influenced by the underground scenes of Central and Eastern Europe: Kauan, A Noend of Mine, Tábor or even Molchat Doma ('Vndadiem').
Like the first two albums, Villa Solitude was recorded and mixed by Florent Morel at MargSound Studio. Thomas PlecJohansson (Pixie Ninja, Molesome, Soilwork...) was in charge of the mastering. The album also benefits from the powerful and precise striking of drummer Basile Combes (Dislimn), and a host of guests, including Matthieu Gajewski (ex-Master Crow) on bass on three tracks, as well as Artem Litovchenko (Thy Catafalque, Sheetel, Abstrakt Lake...) or Polina Faustova (Hans Zimmer) on cello.
Villa Solitude is distributed by Bitume Productions.
