LISTEN / SHARE “pièce no.8” HERE
AMBRE CIEL’S DEBUT ALBUM, STILL, THERE IS THE SEA, OUT TODAY
VIA GONDWANA RECORDS
BUY / STREAM STILL, THERE IS THE SEA HERE
PERFORMING AT FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE JAZZ DE MONTRÉAL THIS SUMMER
“Old adages about hypocrisy notwithstanding, sonically speaking, an Ambre Ciel song is a glass house. On her debut album still, there is the sea, the classically trained composer, pianist, violinist and singer toggles back and forth between straight-on instrumentals teeming with cinematic majesty and letting her serene voice — which lands somewhere between Margaux Sauvé of Ghostly Kisses and Beach House's Victoria Legrand — lead the expansive orchestral arrangements in a more pop-friendly, balladic direction with a lacquered elegance.” - Exclaim!
“It’s stunning to consider that this album project is Ambre Ciel’s debut. If the rest of the album is as beautifully made as “eau miroir,” it will prove to be well worth
repeated listens.” - Great Dark Wonder
“haunting vocals, beautiful piano, sweeping orchestral arrangement assisted by Owen Pallett”
3 AM Revelations
Photo Credit : Lawrence Farfard // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
For Ambre Ciel, the composer and singer from Montreal, her debut album still, there is the sea, represents a beginning, a first, and she says an imperfect attempt, to create this other world that was living in her mind. “On a personal level, I was searching for silence. I had just finally moved to a quiet apartment in Montreal and for the first time, I had all the time and space to hear silence and create, being solitary and living in the intangible world of possibilities”.
Out today via Gondwana Records, the songs and compositions on still, there is the sea are an attempt to create beauty, offer escapism and to engage with the world in a way that is meaningful and authentic. “Music is mysterious and powerful,” explains Ciel. “You don’t always know how you feel and then just by improvising at the piano there’s a transfer operating and the opaqueness of your emotions translate in a music that can be as emotionally complex and inherently constructive.”
Along with the album’s release Ambre Ciel is also sharing the cinematic and dreamy “pièce no.8”. Opening with signature delicate piano motif, later accompanied by emotive sweeping strings, this Philip Glass-esque song, blends neo-classical influences to create a contemplative allure.
LISTEN / SHARE “pièce no.8” HERE
MORE ABOUT STILL, THERE IS THE SEA
Ambre Ciel is a composer, violinist, pianist and singer who hails from Montreal and is a purveyor of dreamy, expansive, spacious pop music. Ambre, who sings in both French and English, hails from a family of singers and artists. “I started my journey learning violin at six and began experimenting with pedal effects and looping melodies later on,” says Ciel. University followed with a focus on composition and recording. “That’s when I started exploring composing and songwriting more deeply—both the world of sounds in itself and songs built mostly with layers of violin and voice. It was also during this time that I returned to my ‘first’ instrument, the piano, which opened more harmonic possibilities.”
For Ambre, her debut album, still, there is the sea, represents a beginning, a first and she says imperfect attempt to create this other world that was living in her mind. She has crafted a beautifully refined ‘pop album’ making a lot of space for strings arrangements and other acoustic instruments, as well as her own beautiful voice. “On a personal level, I was searching for silence. I had just finally moved to a quiet apartment in Montreal and for the first time, I had all the time and space to hear silence and create, being solitary and living in the intangible world of possibilities”.
WATCH / SHARE “eau miroir” HERE
The enigmatic title of the album, still, there is the sea, came to Ambre when she realised that water was a subconscious but recurring theme throughout the album in terms of melodies and lyrics; “eau miroir” refers to how the water can be some kind of mirror, “cycle” embodies a cyclical, perpetual movement, “atlantis” refers to this inward looking quest and distancing from the world, “sometimes” has sounds from rain and storm, and refers to a storm happening inside someone’s thoughts. “The water element can be very thin, fragile, but it’s always in movement and can resemble a larger and massive current, expansive, and I wanted to move between instrumental and song with this fluidity and was interested in finding ways to create something that could still feel cohesive. It also reflects this entire season of solitude and silence, how to me creating music represents this access to an underworld closer to the realm of dreams, that can be deep, surreal, rich and very grounding too.”
WATCH / SHARE “THE SUN, THE SKY” HERE
The songs and compositions on still, there is the sea also aim to offer a way of coping with what is going on in the world, an escape from the horrors of war and climate change. An attempt to create beauty and hopefully offer escapism and to engage with the world in a way that is meaningful and authentic. “Music is mysterious and powerful,” explains Ciel. “You don’t always know how you feel and then just by improvising at the piano there’s a transfer operating and the opaqueness of your emotions translate in a music that can be as emotionally complex and inherently constructive.”
While still, there is the sea is very much Ambre’s own personal statement and artistic vision as a composer, arranger and producer, Pietro Amato offered support and experience (and an extra pair of ears) as co-producer and Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy) gave assistance with the orchestral arrangements Ambre wrote for the FAMES Skopje Studio Orchestra conducted by Sasho Tatarchevski. And deeply sensitive musicians such as percussionist Stefan Schneider (Bell Orchestre, The Luyas), clarinettist Guillaume Bourque and a string trio made of Marilou Lepage, Sebastian Gonzalez Mora, and Julien Siino all brought their unique voices to the record.
BUY / STREAM STILL, THERE IS THE SEA HERE
PERFORMANCE DATES
June 30 - Festival International de Jazz de Montréal
STILL, THERE IS THE SEA TRACKLIST
01 the sun, the sky
02 eau miroir
03 cycle
04 atlantis
05 dream - mirage
06 sometimes
07 pièce no. 8
08 fragment of