Mathias Delplanque

Mathias Delplanque (born in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 1973) is a composer, a performer, an improviser, a music critic, an author of sound installations, a teacher, a composer for theater and dance and the founding member of several musical ensembles. He lives and works in Nantes (France).

His work as a composer started in 1998 as he graduated from the Fine Arts School and decided to put an end to his sculpture activity to turn towards sound creation. He since released more than twenty records on various international labels. He collaborated with musicians from various points of the musical spectrum, and worked with numerous visual artists, writers, videasts, photographers, film directors, dancers... His installation works are frequently shown in galleries and art centers, and he regularly performs on stage, solo or accompanied by other musicians.

Mathias's sound work takes on several main lines and develops through different identities. As Lena, he produces a kind of clubby electronic music strongly influenced by jamaïcan music and Berlin dubby techno. The works done under his own name (developed on records, performances or sound installations, and being either based on field recordings or containing instrumental parts) all directly deal with the question of the relation between space and music : music as architecture, spaces made out of sound etc...

Initially a pure sequenced studio production, Mathias's music transformed with the years into a more improvised and flexible creation. Showing a real interest in live electronic music, he developped a very personal approach of electronic improvisation, based on the use of multiple controlers that engage the body in the production of electronic performances. His live creations generally combine electronic sounds and acoustic instruments treated and sampled in real time.

Mathias Delplanque won several grants (Cultures France, CNC, DRAC Pays de La Loire, Franco-American Jazz Exchange, French Embassy in India...), and made several artistic residencies in various countries (France, Canada, India, USA...).

He runs the label Bruit Clair, dedicated to electronic music and sound art.

Solo : Mathias Delplanque, Lena, Bidlo, Stensil.

Ensembles : The Floating Roots Orchestra, Afterlife Music Radio, The Missing Ensemble, AAA Men.

Collaborations : Rob Mazurek, Black Sifichi, E'Joung-Ju, Myra Melford, Shahzad Ismaïly, Ben Goldberg, Steve Argüelles, Charlie O, Julien Jacob, Iris Lancery, Jean-Luc Thomas, Toma Gouban, Alice Lewis, Charles-Eric Charrier, Cyril Secq, Orchestre du Ballet Royal du Cambodge, Jérémie Ternoy, Matthieu Donarier, David Sanson, Neil Carlill, Jérôme Paressant, Colyne Morange, Daniel Givens, D'Incise, Charlélie Couture, John Sellekaers, Eddie Ladoire...