Artist Spotlight: Anomalie
Stylistically progressive, artistically driven, musically passionate and boundlessly personable; Anomalie is a cheat code producer.
The Montreal-native is one of the most expressive, colourful and quintessential Jazz producers in recent musical history. His manipulation of timbre, texture and rhythm, combined with his compulsive perfectionism and sharpened musical skill set, allows Anomalie to soar above his peers; floating through a stratosphere of poignant palettes and genre ambiguity.
The producer has just unveiled his long awaited debut album, Galarie. A collection of experiences and memories set against electronica-infused jazz canvases, the album provokes, envelopes and consumes its listener, challenging and rewarding us with its sparkling mixes and excellent turns from the likes of Masego, Bad Snacks and India Carney. Later this month, Anomalie will be heading out on tour for a live exhibition of the new project, playing a monstrous 26 date collection across North America and Europe.
I had the pleasure of connecting with Anomalie to discuss his profound new album, his production origins, his stylistic evolution, and his musical ambitions.
In terms of production, who is influencing you?
My all time hero is Quincey Jones because of the wide range of pioneering moments and the role he’s played in modern music as an arranger, a producer and a composer. I’m influenced by a variety of different genres. If we are talking hip hop production, then J Dilla is one of the biggest influences. Most producers are trying to produce like he produced, which says a lot more than you can say of any other producer. D’Angelo as well, his attention to detail is something I relate to. I’m also very influenced by electronic music. I try to keep it as varied as possible and widen my ear as much as possible.
It’s interesting how you often combine the sounds of jazz and electronic music, why did you choose to do so?
It wasn’t necessarily a choice, more a logical progression with what I was exposed to as an artist and a music student. My roots are classical, I got into electronica in high school, and then I got into jazz when I was studying music performance, which led to an interest in Jazz fusion, R&B and Hip Hop. It kind of just happened throughout the years that I was learning about music, and the result was Anomalie.
What made you first start producing?
The first time that I was exposed to synths, my impression was that it was all played. When I heard it, I felt like I had to play it, I loved the way it played with pitch. I realised that most of that music was programmed. Basically, the progression for me was that it made me want to produce and then I was introduced to this older era of music that was starting to be appreciated again. I felt like I had to strike the balance between that modern sound and the older sound that I’d fallen in love with.
How would you define your style?
I think most genres that we hear today are a hybrid because we are exposed to so much now, you can access it so easily. Some people would say New Jazz, Jazz Electronica or Electro Funk. It sometimes depends on the track; some are more electronic leaning than others, whereas some will be more acoustic piano based.
Talk me through your creative process? Are you the type of musician to write a lot in a short space of time or do you feel you are regularly prolific?
It varies with what I’m trying to focus on. There are definitely periods in the year when I will make a lot of ideas because I’m trying to explore different textures and styles. Often they can just be short ideas that stay in a folder on my computer, but they can lead to fuller ideas that may end up on the album. Generally speaking, I’d say I have two main approaches. One would be when I’m deciding to create something new, in which case I’ll usually start with drums and then either choose a random tempo and start jamming, using synth patches. I might limit myself to a certain sonic palette and try to come up with an idea in that within an hour or two. From there, I’ll arrange and develop an idea, which can take months to do so depending on my creative output. The other approach is when I’m trying to arrange a melody that I’ve had in mind prior to sitting down to work on it. It might be a voice note or just a melodic idea that I’ve come up with before. In this case, I’ll usually start with trying to create an initial structure around that idea using harmony. Then the drums will follow.
You seem like someone constantly trying to push your artistry to the next level; how do you maintain that passion?
I’m not sure I have the answer yet! There’s a weird transition; there’s passion when you start exploring a new territory, there’s a lot of hunger and there’s nothing holding you back. It’s starting from scratch, building an audience. Then there’s this stage where it’s a challenge; there’s expectations, people are attached to your sound. At this stage, no matter what you do some people will be disappointed. It’ll either be too similar to what you’ve done before or too different. I try to focus on making something that I have a personal connection with and have fun making. This new project is an in-between; it’s similar to my older stuff but there’s more piano stuff, it’s more acoustic driven, and there are collaborations which is a new aspect that was very refreshing to me. After this, I’m thinking of doing a full on piano project, which would be very different. For me personally, that would be a way to stay passionate and sane in the process!
It’s a thin line to walk on; to stay artistically stimulated whilst catering to an audience who are effectively paying your bills! Would you say you’ve moved into a new phase of musical development?
Totally. This project has two main angles - there’s obviously the collaborations which are sonically a new thing as every artist brings their own creative universe within the context of their track. Then there’s the Upright piano, which is almost the main character of the project. I hadn’t had access to an Upright or any real piano since I was a teenager. It was crazy to reconnect with that, because it feels like a living, breathing thing that I can achieve a range of different textures just through mic placement, pedals, etc. It really felt like a new phase of artist research and development, and the rest followed from there.
How are you feeling about this new phase? Are you feeling confident that it’s right for you?
At the moment it’s too early to say. I don’t have any distance from it, I’ve just moved from making the album, to the mixing, to working on it for the shows. It’s exciting because I get to hear it played by my band mates, but in terms of how confident I am about the direction, I’m just letting it go and I’m going to see how the audience reacts to it. I wouldn’t say confident, but I’d say positive.
How are you feeling about the tour, are you excited?
Yeah! It feels surreal because we haven’t toured since early 2020, and now we are diving back into the old repertoire and bringing the new tracks to life. It’s refreshing and the start of a new chapter.
What can we expect from the live shows?
It’s about the Anomalie live band. I’m on keys, there’s a second keys player, bass and drums. We have more production than ever before and a whole set based around the Galarie artwork. It’s a progression that mixes older and newer songs, and some live specific variations. Each musician has their own spotlight throughout the show as well with interludes. It’s a lot of fun!
How are you feeling about the release of the album?
It’s very exciting. It’s been a long single campaign, it started in the fall, which I think is relevant in the current streaming era. I’ve been in the process for a while, but having it drop now right before the tour feels special. I’m excited to see how people react to it.
What are you trying to convey with the album?
As I’m not a lyricist or songwriter, I don’t necessarily have a message to share. The songs tend to be linked to some emotional experience that I’ve had during the process. It’s a series of events that aren’t necessarily connected. It’s really up to the listener to identify each song in any way they want to and let it resonate with them personally.
You’ve mentioned that you enjoyed collaborating with artists for this album, is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with in the future?
If I were able to collaborate with some of my hero’s at some point in the future, like Herbie Hancock, that’d be unreal! I think even just a lesson from them!
If you were introducing yourself to a new listener, what track would you play them?
Velours. Either that or Come Running To Me.
Why do you do what you do? Is it about fame? Acclaim? Doing what you love?
I’ve always been more about short-to-medium term goals rather than aspirations of fame. My definition of success is about being able to do what you love, being devoted and disciplined with your craft, and being able to share it with people that you love. Lately I’ve really appreciated that as my mission, and it’s been one of my bigger priorities.