Fakear and the Palace of Versailles present : Palace of time

For its third “Electro Carte Blanche” project, the Palace of Versailles invited Fakear to compose a track inspired by the acoustic environment of the former royal residence. Fakear was captivated by the sounds of the Palace's clocks and decided to record and arranged them to create Palace of time, a music track and video that will be available on 9 February 2022.

palace of time

To compose Palace of time, Fakear immersed himself in the sounds and acoustic environment of the Palace of Versailles. As he explored the Palace, he discovered the magical sounds of its clocks and recorded the clicks and ticks of their mechanisms: “I reproduced the sounds of several of the clocks in the Palace of Versailles, which are like eternal custodians of the Palace and symbol of that somewhat strange era, although sometimes it is a reflection of the times we live in”, explains the artist. In a discreet, subtle way, the sounds of footsteps on the floors and the sounds of the Palace's doors give rhythm to the Palace of time. They mingle with the regular, rhythmic sounds of the clocks, forever keeping time. They give the track an atmosphere that is conducive to meditation but which also makes you want to move.

A video clip directed by Juliette Leigniel will also be available, exclusively on the YouTube channel of the Palace of Versailles, from 9 February. We follow Fakear as he explores the Palace and its gardens – from the underground passages to the Hall of Mirrors and the groves – in a bold and enterprising production that opens up a new perspective of the former royal residence.

Fakear

Fakear produces exotic electronic music that takes listeners on a boundless journey thanks to samples from all over the world. He quickly established himself as one of the leading artists on the current electronic scene. Théo Le Vigoureux (his real name) grew up in Caen, in the Calvados region. His parents – who are musicians themselves – introduced him to the symphonies of Maurice Ravel as well as to the songs of Ismaël Lô and Cheb Mami. Having played all over the world, from the United States and Europe to Australia and New Zealand, Fakear has found international acclaim, placing him at the forefront of a whole generation of composers.

the electro carte blanche sessions at the palace of versailles

The acoustic environment of the Palace of Versailles is made up of a wide variety of unique sounds: clockwork mechanisms, flowing water, the tinkling of chandeliers, Baroque melodies, the creaking of parquet floors, the turning of keys in locks, and so on. Launched in 2019, the “Electro carte blanche sessions” of the Palace of Versailles aim to highlight this unique sound environment through the production of totally original musical creations. Thylacine in 2019, Saycet in 2021, and Fakear in 2022: all these artists have drawn inspiration from Versailles and propose their own musical reinterpretation of the Palace's spirit.