Alex Tolm, an artist from Belgium, approaches songwriting as a sanctified realm of contemplation, imbuing his work with a lifetime of experience each time he creates. Having eschewed the typical process of the music business, he has forged his own identity within the more primal and poetic domain of the classics of French chanson coupled with contemporary Alternative Pop music. His musical craft is characterized by evocative and atmospheric compositions as well as a certain cinematic quality that renders poignant moments of human existence, endowed with wisdom and maturity impossible to fake. On April 18th, his artistic legacy received further enhancement when he released his masterful eleven-track album titled Présence Absente, an album of piano-based music that works as a meditative passage through memories and people who are no longer what they used to be. Let me tell you more about it

The process starts with the album “Ombres en boucle” that starts with low frequency tones that seem like someone coming to life after sleeping in a closed room, and a piano melody that goes around itself in a repetitive way. The voice part sounds like a ghost whispering around the music, echoing the song’s lyrics translates into English  roughly as Shadows in a circle, chasing the same ghost  and or  the character in the song is an architect of a home without doors.This results in a hypnotic cycle, causing the listener to experience the sensation of wandering through a collection of their repetitive memories. With each addition of more ambient layers, the melody turns into a spiral and achieves a reflective impact that makes one feel as if going through the corridors of their memory palace.

This leads to the track entitled “Danse sans moi” whose beginning is characterised by staccato, plucked strings that sound like steps taken hesitantly. The singing has a rhythmic quality in addition to sounding detached, almost as though it is done by a robot, which corresponds to the beat. The song roughly translates to Dance without me, I have forgotten how to start. Musically, the song has a very exciting beat that is very danceable. I began tapping my foot and soon, I was fully dancing

The emotional foundation becomes more defined in “Pardon, j’parle toute seul,” as the introduction is marked by a barely audible, distorted sound of a sigh before the sweeping melody of a melancholic cello. The singing voice is remarkably rich, accompanied by the thick vibrato, as if there was an unseen dialogue. The English translation of the lyrics, roughly translate to Forgive me, I’m talking to myself / This is the only way I can hear a familiar voice,” produces an intense feeling of vulnerability. Musically, the vocal performance is very emotive and the piano melody gives it space to breathe so we can fully hear the range of Tolm’s majestic voice

This sets the stage for @Tout va bien (t’inquiéte)”, which begins with an unnaturally cheery instruments, The vocals sound delightfully light-hearted but contain heavy lyrics, such as, “Everything’s all right (don’t worry) / I’m simply painting over the cracks in the sun.” The discord between the pleasant-sounding vocal and lyrics brings to mind the conflict between the façade and reality of life.

This era of technology can be encapsulated completely in the song “Notifications Vides”, beginning with the harsh, synthetic “ping” sound of a mobile phone being transformed into a drawn-out melody. The vocal performance in this song is broken up and whispery, representing the panic caused by a blank screen. Musically, we get a popping synth pop sound that is very danceable so, give into it, I know I did

The song “Silence en stéréo” starts with the real sound of quiet , which is the low humming of an old amplifier, followed by a deep bass beat that sets the tempo and rhythm of the song at a consistent pace, similar to the rhythm of a heartbeat. The vocals are panned in such a way that they travel back and forth across the left and right ears while singing the lyrics, : “Silence in Stereo / A 360-degree perspective of my own walls.” The topic being addressed here is that of broad isolation. In this case, the panning out allows the silence between the sounds to have as much weight as the sounds themselves, resulting in a fully three-dimensional feeling of isolation. In terms of music, the song is intense and dramatic, as the wide panning of the vocals makes the silence of the music as powerful as the sounds.

Halfway through the album, one is greeted by a ray of hope in the song “Presque heureux (Almost Happy)”. Its musical arrangement begins with a bright, sunny sound produced by a swelling organ that creates a sense of relief after taking a long, deep breath. In terms of lyrical analysis, the singer’s vocal performance seems to be relaxed, free-flowing, as though describing a rather vulnerable and sensitive condition of contentment:  the French lyrics roughly translate to Almost happy / Like a bird that has forgotten why it is in a cage.” Investigating the topic of momentary happiness, the tune seems to be played very carefully, with caution, yet with some sort of wobble in the sound, which implies that such happiness is “almost” perfect.

“À côtes de moi” (“Beside Me”) opens with the sounds of a piano and a vocal performance that is solidified with a thumping beat The song’s vocals are captured through the technique of close recording, so close that the breaths Tolm takes are perceptible in his singing,  in French, Right beside me / A ghost that still smells like the rain.” With respect to the motif of lingering presence, the song’s melody, which consists of folk-influenced guitar music, is performed in a way that goes beyond digital recording, establishing a deep connection and sense of companionship.

Next is “Si je disparais (If I Disappear)”The peak of the album comes with “Si je disparais,” a song that begins with a very high-frequency, bright tremolo, reminiscent of light fading off in the distance. The voice is broad and grandiose, arranged into a choral sound that poses the philosophical question: what if I disappeared?, will anyone notice, will anyone care?. The idea of legacy and existential dread is emphasized by the heavy use of reverb, evoking an endless landscape where the individual feels tiny but enlightened.

The title song itself, entitled “Présence absente” (Absent Presence), begins with an eerie repetition of Tolm’s own breathing sounds, which he turns into a repetitive and anxious rhythm. This song features an intricate mix of live, crying violins and glitchy electronics, which form the backdrop for an equally intricate vocal performance:  The song’s lyrics roughly translate to An absent presence / A shadow standing in the light of the door.” The feeling of dissociation could not have been conveyed more aptly than through a melody that disintegrates and reconstructs itself in front of our very eyes. Musically, Tolm sings in two different  registers thus, creating a layered vocal performance, polished with breathy voice work, snapping fingers and a beat that drops in a wildly entertaining way

The journey ends with the bonus track “Larmes Mécaniques (Mechanical Tears).”The track starts off with a  dark, eerie and ethereal  melody sound from percussion that represents the working mechanism of an intricate piece of machinery. Vocals are clear, isolated, and ultimately transition into an amazing violin solo that seems to represent a release of emotions after a long time. The lyrics  roughly translates to Mechanical tears / A machine trying to remember how to weep” bring us to the core concept of dehumanization vs. emotion. It’s a breathtaking finale complete with the backing an amazing choral sound, to a poetic experience that shows us that we as humans are still able to feel, no matter how fragmented we may be.

It is an incredible, piano-driven journey through the subtle architecture of emptiness, memories, and humanity’s insistent attachment to relationships which no longer exist in their previous form. Throughout the album, Tolm skillfully intertwines elements of art pop into the dark and dreamlike world of dark pop, resulting in a sound that is both “nostalgic” and “relaxing.” Despite the fact that the lyrics are sung in French, the connection is so intense that any linguistic divide fades away – the emotion is felt universally and cannot be hidden within the music. Personally, I was greatly touched by the album, ending up with a sensory experience that everyone deserves to have. Therefore, I want to encourage each and every one of you to explore this wonderful universe, I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.

Stream  the “Présence Absente” album on Spotify

Follow Alex Tolm here and his socials: Instagram, YouTube