Interviews

Antonin. The wanderer, the bard, the guitar playing surfer, brings us a collection of remixes from his recent album, entitled ‘En Silence.’ Raised on the Cap Ferret in the South of France, the album is named after his grandmother’s boat. No stranger to the sun and the sea, Antonin’s universal vibrations will kiss you like warm summer sunshine on your sun scorched face, while the gentle melodies and enchanting vocals lap up at your sandy feet. We thought it would be fun to catch up with this most colorful and intriguing character.

Thanks for talking to us at Dream Chimney. Where are you at this moment and how are you spending the day?

I am home in Paris recording my new album.

Where were you born, where are you based?

I was born and raised in the South West of France, in a magical place called Cap Ferret on the seaside. I live between there Paris and the rest of the world when I'm on tour.

Someone once said, "wherever I lay may hat, is my home.” What is your definition of home?

Home is the water. Every time I lay down in the water, even in a bath in the middle of a city and far away from “home,” I close my eyes and I am home.

You look incredibly comfortable on the surf. What is your history with the board and the sea?

Well, I was born at the seaside and raised by the sea, my mom is a mermaid. She taught me how to surf and play guitar at the same time.

How much fun did you have making the surfing guitar video?

That was such a fun day. I had just finished my album at the time, and I was listening to it thinking about images and suddenly I saw myself on a surfboard playing guitar. I called my label and said - I think I got an idea…

What did you learn first - guitar or surfing?

To mix my two favourite things in the world was a dream. The dream came true. Playing guitar and surfing at the same time. That's why I'm feeling so comfortable.

How long have you been making music?

I've been playing since I was 7. I learned at school in Cap Ferret when the other children were having their nap, I was playing guitar with my professor, and on the weekend, I was playing for my family.

Was there a particular person who encouraged your creative endeavors?

My parents are crazy; my mom gave me the music, my dad the story telling. Two essential things you need to make a good song.

When you are in search of inspiration, what motivates you creatively?

My friends, meeting people on tour. I am always travelling with a guitar, looking at people talking, stealing words, images, ideas, improvising melodies. All these things come to me randomly and sometimes magic happens, and a song pops out.

Are you a DJ too?

I'm not a traditional DJ, more a kind of medieval DJ with my guitar.

Your aesthetic is really something. Have we seen in you in fashion magazines?

Haha I’m not sure you saw me in a fashion magazine, but my father was the head of a Maison de Haute Couture in Paris years ago and my sister and brother have a fashion brand called Gkéro - so I guess I was born somewhere close to the fashion world 😉

What kind of artists, DJs, genres were you into growing up? Who are your icons?

My master is Leonard Cohen. The greatest rock’n’roll band is the Rolling Stones. My favorite DJ are Alex Pan, Dorion & Noemi Ferst.

What three words would you use to describe your sound?

Universal, sincere, lightning.

You spent time in 2023 on a magnificent tour. What does your live set up consist of? You and your guitar, or are there other musicians on stage with you?

We did a surf & music tour this summer from my home town to the Pays Basque in France and Portugal with a bunch of my friends. It was the best tour ever! You can take a look at the video on my insta account.

I like to play alone, it’s really satisfying but I also made this little band with my friend Armindo, my Petit Helmut, as I call him, on guitar, and Giacomo, an Italian friend on the bass No drums, we play on the same line, no rehearsal, no sound check - just feelings, it’s great. I love my band!

The album En Silence is a stunning collection of gentle, emotional, folk flecked music. What are you most proud of with the album?

I am proud of the people that helped me to accomplish this album. People who wrote certain songs with me like Dorion, Victoria, Nour, Edo… And people that me to arranged it. I have great friends. They are talented. I am proud of them, as they push me.

Did you have an intention that you wanted to convey with the album?

I feel that it is an honest and sincere album. Songs with a simple message. I don’t think about it as an achievement, more that is just the beginning of something cool that helps me to go through life, to express my feelings, to talk to people, to give something to the world.

One could almost be in a village in Greece, Italy, or Tunisia and this music would work. Such a universal vibe, isn’t it?

Universal is the world/the word. To be universal or not to be haha. I like this idea that there are no frontiers.

Your new EP is three tracks lifted from En Silence. Firstly, Je Veux Mourir avec Toi – Your vocal style is powerful in its subtly, sitting gently beneath the notes, playing with the music. Tell us the story behind this track and the lyrics?

Je Veux Mourir avec Toi is a song I wrote during the lockdown with Dorion, a friend who speaks Hebrew and Nour a friend from Lebanon. I had this melody in my head - very Oriental - and I invited them to write a few words on it with me. By chance, they accepted, and I’m very happy about the result. In a way this is a very Romeo & Juliet’s story. Something absolute.

The remix EP has some very clever re-imaginings of the original tracks. Did you have any doubts initially about transforming such an album into dancefloor remixes or were you confident they could translate?

Well, as soon as you released your album, I believe that the songs belong to anyone; you give them to the world. I am open to everything, I like when people, artists, play with them, transform them. It’s like I have another perception of what it could be. I like to be surprised. Sometimes I am like wow… they go far, but it’s interesting and I kinda like it because it’s fun. It shows you another aspect of your music. It opens your mind.

I adore Yuksek’s 303 acid vibes on Antonino. Were you thrilled with what he has done?

Yuksek’s remix is really cool I think. I adore it too, it’s really addictive, simple, not too much, just what you need. He’s really good and I listened to it in a club last week in Paris, people were crazy dancing to it. I was so happy… and drunk.

Omri Smardar is perhaps the biggest track for clubs. Have you heard it played out on the dance floor yet and how did the crowd react?

Not yet ombre but fuck, I can’t wait!

Dorion’s remix of Caresse transports us to summer and the beach. What does this record mean to you?

Dorion remix is really close to my heart as he is a really close friend, a brother. He knows me well and this is priceless to share a song with someone you love. It stays after you forever and ever, we are together.

We’ve loved this unique selection of songs. What can we look

forward to next from Antonin?

The next Antonin is the same. I am getting old, but I’ll be forever young, don’t worry! You’ll see the barde coming back with his guitar on a surf, on skis, or skates, or an elephant. Who knows?

If you had to spend the rest of your days on a desert island far away, what 3 things would you take with you?

I would take my guitar, of course, my surfboard, and my phone to send you some nice videos to make you jealous.

If you were in charge of the world, what one thing would you do for the good of mankind?

I would resign.

Check out the latest release from Antonin