Débruit - Débruit & Istanbul (2016)

Débruit presents a synthetic and rhythmic journey inside the city's history and future. 'Débruit & Istanbul', his fourth album, is set for release through his own multidisciplinary label ICI on 27th May 2016.

Artist, producer and musician Xavier Thomas aka Débruit is a musical explorer who imagines alternate worlds and the way they'd sound. He plays with time and disparate sounds, moulding geographical borders into new asymmetrical audio-forms. His music is electronic but with a human feel; it explores complementary culture clashes, combining elements that have never existed together before.

The 'Débruit & Istanbul' project was commissioned by the Europalia Arts Festival (one of the oldest festivals of its kind in Europe), which has been organising arts biennials, each focusing on a different guest country, since 1969. Its large-scale multidisciplinary programme comprises hundreds of events throughout Belgium and other European countries. Débruit’s new live show, inspired by the project, was premiered at one of the biggest events of the year at Brussels’ leading contemporary arts venue BOZAR. The album was also exclusively exhibited in the BOZAR gallery alongside work by Sophie Calle, Cartier Bresson and Ara Guler as part of the critically acclaimed “Imagine Istanbul” exhibition, the highlight of their winter season.

During his 15 days in Istanbul, Débruit worked on an imaginative interpretation of the city carried by the megalopolis through its meanders. He collaborated with established artists, including leading fusion-jazz percussionist Okay Temiz, 70s Turkish-funk star Mustapha Özkent, gypsy master clarinettist Cüneyt Sepetçi, and rising and grass roots local musicians such as art-rock singer Gaye Su Akyol, Melike Şahin and Murat Ertel of BaBa ZuLa. The inspiration of sounds, rhythms, lights and tempo of the city at different moments in time have resulted in a melting pot of traditional, visionary, electric, psychedelic, futuristic, melodic and experimental music. Now set for release to the public, 'Débruit & Istanbul' is a new vision of the exciting and captivating city.