Mylène Farmer
Country of origin:
Born in Canada but now mostly works in France
Type of music generally:
Pop/disco (nevertheless it's good). (uli@zoodle.robin.de)
Status:
Most recent release, Histoires De (compilation, 2020)
See also:
Mylène Farmer's site
Comparisons:
I know several Kate Bush fans who like her, but I don't think they are comparable (as usual). I also know one Kate Bush who doesn't like her. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)Both Mylène and Kate Bush like theatrical live shows, but that is where the comparison ends. Mylène tends a lot more towards the pop and dance front, although her lyrics are rather melancholy most of the time. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
Covers/own material:
Mylène co-writes her own material with long-time songwriting partner and producer Laurent Boutonnat. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
General comments:
Mylène Farmer is generally recommended for ectophiles who like a sweet voice, good synthesizer music (not of the atmospheric but of the disco kind) and can accept (mostly) French lyrics. Many of her videos are not at all like normal (MTV-like) videos, more like short movies (longest one is 17-1/2 minutes). Oh—if you object a bit of sex and violence in videos, you probably shouldn't buy them. Mylène actually can be seen naked on any one of the non-concert video tapes, and there are some fights, sometimes resulting in some people being killed, in these films. But the sex and violence is not the purpose of those videos (at least not always). (uli@zoodle.robin.de)She had a small hit in the Netherlands a few years ago with "Désenchantée". That's how I got to know her. As you can probably make up from the above title, she is French and most of the time sings in French. Now, I wasn't very good at French in highschool, but despite that she's very enjoyable to listen to. She's been called the French Kate Bush by the local press, probably for the live shows which I understand are very theatrical. So far, she's released three studio albums, Cendres de lune, Ainsi soit je... and L'autre..., a live double album, En concert, and a remix double album, aptly titled Dance remixes. There are also numerous 7" singles, 12"-es and CD singles, which I am currently hunting down, as some of them contain rare B-side tracks and all of them contain very tasteful sleeves....
One English-titled song was released last year, called "My soul is slashed", which tells you a little about the contents of Mylène's work. From what I can understand, most of her lyrics talk about suicidal tendencies, problems and the sad side of life. Nonetheless the songs sound very bright, some have a eurodisco feel to them, but she also sings ballads, which are absolute gems.
Mylène Farmer has a voice which may put off some people. It can be very high, and in a few cases she's missed some notes. (The Live à Bercy CD is a fine example of Mylène at her worst.) However, in most songs her voice sounds as if she's come straight from heaven. Mylène typically makes ballads and dance/pop songs.
Mylène Farmer is mainly a French (and Canadian) phenomenon. Here in Holland, she's only had one minor hit with "Desenchantee" (1991). My guess is that it was mainly the music which attracted the record-buying public, because it was a fast-paced, happy-sounding track. The lyrics (in French of course) went something like this: "Je cherche un ame qui pourra m'aider / Je suis d'une generation desenchantee" (I'm searching for a soul who might help me / I'm from a disenchanted generation"). It's a message that is not generally picked up by the Dutch, since most of us do speak English and German well, but French is often still a problem. Which is why the song was often described as "uplifting". A cover version by Belgian singer Kate Ryan also made the Dutch charts in 2002.
In France, Mylène is a true megastar, her fame in that country is comparable to Madonna elsewhere in the world. Musically and visually she compares well to Kate Bush. Just like Kate, she releases a studio album every 3 to 4 years (the same tempo Kate used to work in), and her live concerts are visual spectacles. Each time Mylène has done a tour, a double CD and video is released. There are differences, of course: as stated above, Mylène's music and lyrics often contrast, or, in the case of "Dernier sourire" and "Puisque", complement each other well, for they're the saddest songs I've ever heard. Despite not understanding much of the lyrics myself, I understand some of her songs deal with the suicide of a good friend during Mylène's teens. (marcel@kimwilde.com)Holland ectophile Marcel Rijs asked if people were aware of French singer Mylène Farmer (mee-len' fah-may'). He stated that she's often referred to as "the French Kate Bush." Since I love la langue française, as well as the Lady Miss Bush, I was intrigued.
My first acquisition was Dance remixes, which is something of a greatest hits compilation. Wait, don't let the dance angle scare you off. Mylène writes most of her lyrics, and the majority of them are ecto-friendly. "Tristana," for instance, speaks of a girl who cries bittersweet tears for the love that has killed her poetry. She thinks of suicide—for nothing, for everything. And in "Ainsi soit je..." ("Take me, for example..."), she begs to flee from her own exile, but wonders what hope she can have when all is black. A little too flowery for you? Then maybe you'd prefer "Je T'aime melancolie," which states as simply as possible:
When all is gray
Pain is my friend
I write a lengthy suicide note
To say "I love you, melancholy"
I loved this album so much, that in the course of the following two weeks I bought three more! Mylène also writes of phantoms and the sinister god of time (who points his finger and beckons us to follow). The French Kate Bush? I wouldn't say she's quite that literary. But with such dark poetic imagery, I'd say she very well may be the French Happy Rhodes. She has a soft soprano voice and a flawless diction. Do you have to understand French to enjoy her work? No, but it would help to have a working knowledge of the language to feel the irony in her delivery. For here is a woman who clearly relishes the opportunity to dwell in her soul's darker corners. Without the life she seems to eschew, her ecstasy would be ended.
The music on her albums is by the very dramatic Laurent Boutonnat. He is also the director of her (I hear) extraordinarily artistic videos, as well as her film debut in Giorgino (1997). The photography on her covers is dramatic as well: images of a duel at sunrise, a black crow, and a ventriloquist's dummy portray visually what Mylène expresses emotionally.
Although a good portion of her songs are danceable, I would hesitate to call them "dance songs." They are "mood pieces" which present a complete aural landscape. Sometimes it put you in mind of waves crashing on the rocks, others perhaps of Christina reaching out from the middle of the wheat field (hmm, maybe I should call this "art rock" :-) ).
Mylène is recommended for people who like: dance music, French, Gothic poetry, romantic imagery and soft soprano voices (but also accompanied sometimes by punctuating drumbeats and electric guitars). (I_SW@zis.ziff.com)
Comments about live performance:
I've seen the 1996 and 1999 concerts and both were exceptionally theatrical. The difference between the two was mainly Mylène's singing voice: in 1996 she kept crying for some reason, whereas in 1999 she carried the songs with everything she had. In 1996 the stage was set with a very large videowall and amazing props such as a larger-than-life spider for the song "Alice". In 1999, the stage was filled with a statue which could move its head and arms, making sure the attention of the audience was constantly focused towards the center of the stage. Choreography and wardrobe were a little more important than music and singing for both shows, but this does not turn into a Janet Jackson-like fiasco. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
Recommended first album:
En Concert (2 CDs) or Ainsi soit je... (1 CD). (uli@zoodle.robin.de)
Recordings:
- Cendres de lune (1986)
- Ainsi soit je... (1989)
- En Concert (1989)
- L'autre... (1991)
- Dance remixes (1992)
- Anamorphosée (1995)
- Live à Bercy (1997)
- Innamoramento (1999)
- Mylenium Tour (2000)
- Les mots (compilation, 2001)
- Remixes (2003)
- Avant que l'ombre (2005)
- Point de Suture (2008)
- No. 5 on Tour (2009)
- Bleu Noir (2010)
- 2001.2011 (compilation, 2011)
- Monkey Me (2012)
- Timeless 2013 (live, 2013)
- Interstellaires (2015)
- Désobéissance (2018)
- Live 2019 (live, 2019)
- Histoires De (compilation, 2020)
Cendres de lune
Release info:
1986—Polydor—831732-2
Availability:
France (easy), rest of Europe (bit more difficult)
Ecto priority:
Most for people who already know they like her music
Group members:
Mylène Farmer—vocals
Guest artists:
Laurent Boutonnat—piano, synthesizers
Slim Pezin—guitars
Alain Hatot—saxophones
Gilles Chonard—drums
Estella Samantha Radji—choir
Carole Fredericks—choir
Anne-Marie Constant—choir
Yvonne Jones—choir
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
Get it after En concert pleases you. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)Debut album with a variety of subjects, including a tribute to Greta Garbo. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
Ainsi soit je...
Release info:
1989—Polydor—835564-2
Availability:
France, Germany (easy), rest of Europe (more difficult)
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Mylène Farmer—vocals
Guest artists:
Laurent Boutonnat—piano, synthesizers
Slim Pezin—guitars
Bernard Paganotti—bass
Pol Ramirez del Piu—Pan pipe, shakuhachi
Les Moines Fous du Tibet—choir
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
If you don't want to buy two CDs at first (En Concert), this is your choice to try Mylène. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)If there wasn't the live double CD En Concert, this one would be her best album. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
En Concert
Release info:
1989—Polydor—841744-2 (2CD)
Availability:
France, Germany (easy), rest of Europe (more difficult)
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Mylène Farmer—vocals
Guest artists:
Bruno Fontaine—piano
Yves Sanna—drums
Phillippe Drai—percussions
Slim Pezin—guitar
Christian Padovan—bass
Jean-Philippe Audin—violoncello
Carole Fredericks—choir
Beckie Bell—choir
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
This live recording is actually DDD, a fair example of the high recording standard of Mylène's stuff. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)The tracks "Puisque", "Mouvements de lune" and "Je voudrais tant que tu comprennes" are among the most captivating songs I have ever heard in my life. Mylène grabs your attention and makes you listen whether you like it or not. The instrumental "Mouvements" are very untypical for a live album; it's almost too beautiful. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
L'autre...
Release info:
1991—Polydor—849217-2 (CD), 849217-4 (MC), 849217-1 (LP)
Availability:
France, Germany (easy), rest of Europe (more difficult)
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Mylène Farmer—vocals, backing vocals
Guest artists:
Laurent Boutonnat—keyboards and arrangements, drum programming
Bruno Fontaine—piano
Phillippe Drai—snare drums
Slim Pezin—guitars
Bernard Paganotti—acoustic bass
Pol Ramirez Del Piu—flute, harp
Thierry Rogen—drum programming
Patrice Rouillon Tsernsoff de Gironville—programming
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
Not as good as Ainsi soit je..., but not bad (of course ;-)). (uli@zoodle.robin.de)I would say this is her most accessible CD. This contains her only pan-European hit "Désenchantée" as well as some Ecto-ish gems such as "Nous souviendrons nous". (marcel@kimwilde.com)
Dance remixes
Release info:
1992—Polydor—517557-2 (2CD)
Also available as two single CD's, 'dance remixes 1' and 'dance remixes 2'.
Availability:
France, Germany (easy)
Ecto priority:
Recommended for Mylène Farmer fans
Group members:
Mylène Farmer—vocals
Guest artists:
Laurent Boutonnat—remix
Thierry Rogen—remix
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
Recommended if you like remixes. These are really long and *R*E*M*I*X*E*D*. This album was made to be played loud (no, not at all a comparison with The Dreaming). (uli@zoodle.robin.de)The remixes on this double CD are extended versions with a twist, but no house-type mixes. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
Anamorphosée
Release info:
1995—Polydor—529260-2 (CD), 529260-4 (MC), 529260-1 (LP)
Availability:
Europe
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Mylène Farmer—vocals
Guest artists:
Jeff Dahlgren—guitars
Abraham Laboriel—bass
Denny Fongheiser—drums
Laurent Boutonnat—keyboards
Pol Ramirez del Piu—flutes
Kate Markowitz—background vocals
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
This is by far my most favourite record of 1995. I bought this one when it was released and it was one of the few albums I played almost day after day ever since. Although French is a language I have absolutely no control over, the melodies make up for that in a big way. This is just music from heaven as far as I'm concerned. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
Live à Bercy
Release info:
1997—Polydor—537064-2 (2CD)
Availability:
France, Belgium (good), rest of Europe (hard to find)
Ecto priority:
Recommended if you're into Mylène. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
Group members:
Mylène Farmer—vocals
Guest artists:
Yvan Cassar—keyboards
Jeff Dahlgren—guitars
Brian Ray—guitars
Jerry Watts Jr.—bass
Abraham Laboriel Jr.—drums
Susie Davis—keyboards, percussion
Carole Rowley—backing vocals
Esther Dobong'na Essienne—backing vocals
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
This live album is not as good as En concert because of Mylène's tendency to cry whenever she sings a ballad. The up tempo songs are quite powerful, though, especially the older tracks which have been re-arranged. (marcel@kimwilde.com)
Innamoramento
Release info:
1999—Polydor—547338-2
Availability:
France, Belgium, Germany (good), rest of Europe (rather poor)
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Mylène Farmer—vocals
Guest artists:
Laurent Boutonnat—keyboards & programming
Abraham Laboriel Jr.—drums
Mathieu Rabate—drums
Denny Fongheiser—drums
Abraham Laboriel Sr.—bass
Jerry Watts—bass
Billy Sheehan—bass
Jeff Dahlgren—guitars
Chris Spedding—guitars
Frank Simes—guitars
Pol Ramirez del Piu—flutes
Carole Rowley—background vocals
Sophia Nelson—background vocals
Johanna Ferdinand—background vocals
Caroline Pascaud Blandin—background vocals
Angeline Annonier—background vocals
Joëlle Jaque Gustave—background vocals
Marie-Jo Plezel—background vocals
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
This album is pretty much in the same vein as L'autre..., but a little less accessible. (marcel@kimwilde.com)I picked up this album based on its cover, and it's one of the best instinct purchases I ever made. Mylène's gorgeous voice bridges the different styles: techno-dance, upbeat pop, and melancholy pieces. I simply LOVE this record. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Les mots
Release info:
2001—Universal Records—5894592
Availability:
Europe
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans
Comments:
A best-of album titled Les mots has been released by French singer Mylène Farmer, featuring all of her singles since 1984 including 3 new tracks (one with the singer Seal) and some b-sides, all spread on 2 cds (a single cd edition also exists for some international markets). Of course, the singer and writer has always had some very powerfully addictive singles and the fact that she put them ALL on there is testament to that. Of course, the compilation also focuses on the growth her music has been the subject of since its begining in a synth-heavy period ('84). Her music is still synth-heavy, but it certainly has been transformed by different processes, most importantly her rockier effort on Anamorphosée. The addition of b-sides is an excellent plus, as are the three new tracks, but the real treat is that all the older songs have been remastered and sound beautiful. (homogenik@hotmail.com)
Avant que l'ombre
Release info:
2005—Stuffed Monkey—831842
Availability:
Europe
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Mylène Farmer-vocals
Guest artists:
Philippe Paradis—guitar
Laurent Boutonnat—keyboards, programming
Philippe Chayeb—bass guitar
Loic Pontieux—drums
Produced by:
Laurent Boutonnat
Comments:
I've been a serious Mylène Farmer fan since 1995 and I am quite familiar with her entire work. When I first listened to Avant que l'ombre I was immensely disappointed with what I felt was a regression or at least a lack of progression. The hopefulness in some of the lyrics also made me miss the frightened, reflexive Farmer of older records. Then I listened to it more, and again, until finally I discovered a deep and fulfilling album.
The major difference here is evidently that Farmer has found love, and although this euphoria has never been completely absent from other records, it shines here more. But, its brightness is far from the cheesy singalong love songs one could expect. With love comes the reality that, possibly (probably) one day this wealth will one day or gradually slip out of one's hands, of one's heart. This duality is constant on the album although not on every song. Some songs also showcase Farmer's light humor ("Q.I.", "Porno Graphique"), which adds to the variety found here. That doesn't mean those songs are meaningless: "Porno Graphique", for example, is commenting on the sad emptiness of pornographic "art" (with giant quotation marks), which is spread everywhere like venom in our contemporary societies. Similarly, "Fuck Them All" seem to address the ancestral domination of men over women, pointing out how horribly men have considered the value of human life (through war for instance). Instead she sings to the men, make (learn) love while we'll (the women) make war, with songs, with words like swords that pierce through your verbose speeches. Seemingly on its own, "Dans les rues de Londres" is a vibrant tribute to Virginia Woolf. It links to the other songs by its affirmation of life's multiple faces, of the impossibility to reduce it to imprecise formulas. "Redonne-moi" reconnects with past subject matter (ever since the b-side "L'Annonciation"): some sort of childhood trauma (according to the b-side mentioned and some other songs, it could very well be that she has been raped as a child). In this song, this ghost floating about doesn't plunge the writer into paralysis or simple observation. Instead, she asks, insists that this other part of her, which makes her love (as a personal process) possible, be returned to her. Love is seen as a process, a capacity which requires the self to be armed with certain assets which the writer here is in (has been in) search of. Haunting her is also now the fear of losing this life-altering sensation and facing loneliness and death again. Mylène Farmer is now in her forties and, if her obsession with death (her own, her close relations, family) was before evident, here it is mostly concentrated in two songs, both highlights on the record. In her forties, she is now feeling as if she's invariably walking towards an ending (and we all know she's right!). This vulnerability forces her into fear. While she's always been very critical of it in her writing, Farmer here, obviously in desperation, calls upon religion for help, for confession of her fear of the eleventh hour, of nights of vigil. But of course, the beauty of those songs is striking. "Before the shadow, I know / Collapses to my feet / To see the other side / I know that, I know that I loved". In "Et pourtant", this theme is brought back from the ashes and faces love in a fight which, ultimately, Love wins: "J'entrevoyais le chemin / Qui mene a l'ombre / Et pourtant / L'amour toujours" ("I was foreseeing the path / Which leads to the shadow / And yet / Love still").
As far as the music is concerned, it's true that things are very similar to Farmer's other records. One must not forget though that she is France's biggest-selling artist and is thus quite a commercial artist. Nonetheless, her marginality has always made her work interesting. Here, the music is still engaging catchy pop music. Her voice, instead of being drowned in synths and effects like on Innamoramento, is now freer, more natural (with its beautiful strengths and its humble limitations). Heavy electric guitars are still present ("Fuck Them All", "J'attends") as are slow, mournful ballads ("Redonne-moi", "Derriere les fenetres"), energetic dance songs ("Q.I.", "Aime" and mostly "Peut-être toi") and just plain weird (the Diamanda Galas-like screeching in "Porno Graphique"). Anyone expecting big changes in her musical direction should have paid closer attention to her past records and their progression from one another (except Anamorphosee which did add a new sound, it's true).
So in retrospect, I'm glad I gave the album a chance after all. Sometimes, the records you like the best are the ones you don't quite understand or enjoy on the first round. This has certainly been the case for me. (homogenik@hotmail.com)
Interstellaires
Release info:
2015—Stuffed Monkey/Polydor—475 985-4
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Mylène Farmer
Guest artists:
Martin Kierszenbaum—drum programming, percussion, keyboards, guitars, bass
Tristan Casara—drum programming, percussion, keyboards (2)
Jérome Devoise—drum programming, percussion, keyboards (8)
Sébastien Chouard—additional guitars (1, 4-6)
Jerry Fuentes—additional guitars (10)
Jonathan Noyce—bass (4-6, 11)
Loïc Pontieux—drums (1, 3, 6, 11)
Zach Jones—drums (10)
Ramiro Belgardt—cello (5)
Produced by:
Martin "Cherry Cherry Boom Boom" Kierszenbaum; Tristan Casara (2)
Comments:
I love Innamoramento but never got into any of Mylène's other albums... until now. Interstellaires is a fabulous collection of pop and some moodier pieces, with themes of space and time, and, of course, love. Favorite songs: "Interstellaires," "City of Love," "C'est pas moi." (JoAnn Whetsell)One of my favorite albums of 2015. (k_hester_k@yahoo.co.nz)
More information:
Mylène Farmer International Fan ClubVideo Releases include:
Single Releases include:
- Mylène Farmer—Les Clips (1987—Polygram Music Video/PMV—080 612-3 [VHS PAL], available in Europe): Mylène's first four videos, one very early one that is quite short (for Mylène...), the others are getting longer and longer and more and more movie-like. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)
- Mylène Farmer—The Videos (1987-90—Polygram Music Video/PMV; Channel 5 Video Distribution ltd.—082 524-3 [VHS PAL]; UK: CFM 2524, available in Europe): Four typical Mylène-like videos, the long one ("Douce", 17:30) is on this tape. The fifth and sixth video are shots actually "missing" from the "En Concert—Le Film" video tape, as they are live. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)
- Mylène Farmer—En Concert—Le Film 1990—Polygram Music Video/PMV—082 998-3 [VHS PAL], available in Germany and the U.K. but you'll have to search a bit): If you like concerts on video, get it. This 90 minute tape contains most of the double CD above. Mylène has something in common with Kate Bush: she wears a different costume almost every song. The film itself is mostly filmed at a very big venue and has a bit additional footage in it. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)
- Mylène Farmer—L'autre (1992—PolyGram Video/PMV—086 436-3 [VHS PAL], available in Germany and the U.K. but you'll have to search a bit): Only one 'real' Mylène-video and three non-film ones, but the non-film ones are nevertheless good. You might have seen "Je t'aime melancolie" on MTV (at least I did), she's in a ring there, fighting, they slowly mutate from boxing/dancing via kick-boxing/dancing to karate/dancing. The referee is the first one who gets knocked out.... The end of the tape contains a report about making the first video of the tape, and it shows that they are REALLY making MOVIES. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)
- Mylène Farmer Live á Bercy (1997)
- Mylenium Tour (2000)
- Videos (2003)
- Videos II & III (2003).
- "Dance Remixes" [single CD version] (1993—Polydor France—519 239-2 CD): The "Dance Remixes" double CD also exists as a single CD edition. It contains half of the double CD plus another one from the double CD plus one mix that's not on the double CD. (uli@zoodle.robin.de)
- "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" (1988—Polydor France—887 847-2 CD)
- "A Quoi je sers..." (1989—Polydor France—887 448-2 CD)
- "Allan" (1989—Polydor France—873 433-2 CD)
- "Sans Logique" (1989—Polydor France—871 647-2 CD)
- "Plus Grandir" (1990—Polydor France—877 217-2 CD)
- "Désenchantée" (1991—Polydor France—879 925-2 CD)
- "Je T'aime Melancolie" (1991—Polydor France—865 107-2/865 197-2 CD)
- "Regrets" (1991—Polydor France—877 671-2 CD)
- "Beyond My Control" (1992—Polydor France—865 821-2/865 820-2 CD)
- "Que Mon Coeur Liche" (1992—Polydor France—861 206-2 cardboard sleeve CD)
- "My Soul Is Slashed" (1993—Polydor France—861 815-2/861 814-2 CD)
- "Sans Contrefacon" (Polydor France—887 195-2 CD)
Thanks to Uli Grepel, Marcel Rijs, and JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
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