STM 115 - Èlg

The mix's creator, Laurent Gérard, known professionally as Èlg, is a French sound designer and multifaceted musician based in Brussels. He is also one half of the bands Opéra Mort and Naked Hug, as well as a third of the trio Reines d'Angleterre, led by the renowned Ghédalia Tazartès. Gérard’s immersion in music began during art school, a passion that later deepened under the guidance of his brother, Mim—a musician and producer—who introduced him to both traditional and contemporary recording techniques. Since 2004, Èlg has established himself within the avant-garde underground, performing solo across Europe and the United States. Over the years, Gérard has released a prolific catalog of records on various independent labels, including Luke Younger’s Alter, Hundebiss, SDZ Records, Kraak, SS, Lal Lal Lal, Taped Sounds, and Nashazphone. Albums like Mil Pluton and his latest, La Chimie, serve as ideal starting points to explore his intricate, otherworldly soundscapes.

Gérard reveals that he periodically steps away from music, seeking solitude and silence to renew his creative perspective: “The vast silence, as terrifying as it is, generates an abundance of unexpected wonders. It’s essential to retreat and reconnect with the world anew.” Reflecting on his approach to music production, he remarks, “I don’t record in comfort; it’s a driving force. I enjoy blending and subverting conventions, questioning and distorting established trends. It’s amusing, and it keeps my work from being confined under one limiting, all-encompassing label. I have a strong affection for distinct melodic lines with their own character, like companions warming a room—what I call the Beatles effect.”

In his compositions, Gérard pushes the boundaries of laptop-generated sound, experimenting with his versatile, Esperanto-inspired vocals and occasional acoustic instrumentation. His hypnotic productions traverse diverse sonic territories, from industrial rhythms and musique concrète-inspired editing to dense layers of murky electronics and nuanced percussive elements. This May 2014, Gérard is scheduled to perform with Reines d'Angleterre at Café Oto and Instants Chavirés, followed by Opéra Mort’s tour in France in June.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 115” is a complex, atmospheric journey, weaving together twelve rare and evocative records released between 1986 and 2012. This sonic expedition meanders through mesmerizing gamelan spirals, East African blues, ethereal folk, and abstract electronic soundscapes, seamlessly blending minimal pop and cinematic audioscapes. Iconic recordings from artists such as Anne Gillis, A.C. Marias, Shelley Hirsch, and French musicians Alain Peters and Dominique Petitgand awaken listeners' subconscious, guiding them toward the metaphysical. The effect is akin to a photographic work by Erik Madigan Heck, with richly varied textures forming a cohesive whole, revealing their full depth only upon patient observation.

Gérard titled this mix “Twelve Pills Under the Pillow” and shared his thoughts on its concept: “Since it’s scientifically impossible to compress two thousand favorite and inspirational pieces into a single hour-long mixtape, I made a strict selection. I focused on warm, slow tunes that I consider sonic lullabies—little musical tales. Together, I hope they form a coherent journey. These tracks, rooted in repetition, tend to unlock doors to parallel worlds within my mind, conjuring images, narratives, and night-time reveries as I lie in bed.”