The act of being inspired by an existing piece of art, especially stories and books, and turning it into a sonic art piece is an art that’s frankly lost. It takes skill, impression, ability as well as agility to transform a concept from one medium to another. The last time I’d ever seen this concept play out in terms of album and musical execution was through the likes of releases by David Bowie, Kate Bush & Benjamin Clementine. It seems to be a niche in of itself, this skill. Almost as if it was exclusive to the highbrow.
Today’s piece of art revolves around someone who has taken the baton from the traditions I have mentioned, named Didier Recloux. Didier Recloux is a Belgian-born composer based in London, who comes from a line of music enthusiasts who fostered his passion for music when he was young. He then went on to enroll at his local music academy at the age of six to study music in a multifaceted fashion and went on to study counterpoint, music for audiovisual production at Berklee online, orchestration in New York with Steven Scott Smalley as well as production with IMW London. Even now, he doesn’t stop at the pursuit of learning, still studying with pianist, music teacher, and author Jonathan Walker.
He also started off his musical journey foraging into a multitude of various genres- pop, rock, heavy metal, prog rock, electronic as well as classical and film music. He notes Maurice Jarre and Ennio Morricone as his quintessential influences in shaping his musical sensibilities. Due to his upbringing in Belgium and the tapestry of communities that live there, he was also exposed to and influenced by foreign music as well. Didier Recloux, in his influences, story as well as repertoire, is surely non-conventional and brilliant.
Didier’s music emphasises melodies, which he describes as âportableâ, that one can carry away from a film, bringing back the feelings experienced while watching the movie. He aspires to touch and move people, the way that he has been moved by the music he loves.
Even in the realm of stories, it takes a certain type of person to choose a certain type of story. Most people stick with the cliched and played-out archetype of ideologies, manifestos, or whichever fits the likeness of such. Stories that evoke an interesting interplay between the arcane and the novel seem to always push through this notion. In this particular instance, today’s album review takes on the story of ‘Monsieur Linh and his Child’.
‘Monsieur Linh and his Child’ is a novel characterising the journey and fate of a man, named Monsieur Linh, and his child- no one truly knows who the child is, with it oscillating towards being his child, or his grandchild, throughout the tone of the story. The story is ineffable, and very surreptitious at times. Following the stylistic theme of the writer and the composer of this album, I will let the story envelop and give out clues as well as details about the context of the topic as the album progresses.
Stories rarely chime unless a gentle breeze pushes them to. Let me, in this context, be the gentle breeze.
Access to the album via this link https://didierrecloux.com/monsieur-linh-and-his-child
Leaving it all Behind/Mr. Linh/Sang DiĂ» [Track 1]
The first part of the track starts off sombre, and intense, as well as deep. It then goes into a triumphant but melancholic tirade of horns, melodically supporting the track with all the initial emotional tone it requires. The supporting drums are heavy-hitting, and fit the undertones of intensity as well as sombreness, with the addition of a pellet-based xylophone giving the song the ‘question’ and dilemma of… Mr. Linh leaving his hometown behind. In the story, Mr. Linh is implied to be a Vietnamese man who has to flee his home country due to the catastrophe of war. He only clutches his suitcase, and his baby grand-daughter, described as lighter than the suitcase itself. The melodies in this song are grand, as well as contemplatively profound. They bear a lot of similarity to the triumphant yet sombre tone of many soundtracks supplementing Chinese period films and dramas, sonically transmitting the idea of “righteous warfare” (yibingÂ çŸ©ć ”).
The track then goes into a drawn-out, contemplative piano solo in the middle, with accented pentatonic flutes describing the ethnomusical tone of Mr Linh’s origin. Following the surreptitious theme of righteous warfare, the track almost goes back in a triumphant gaze towards the future, the new. In its forward-sounding trance, it sounds fascinatingly forward with solitude weaved into the soundscape due to the melange of strings. It is extremely emotionally intense.
The third part of the track, possibly a homage to Sang DiĂ», sounds extremely tender and innocent with the isolate plucking of strings in the beginning, with an aged quality to it given by the noise in the background. It has notes of a bell, usually attributed to youth, and what I presume to be either a clarinet or an oboe taking the main part of the melody. Since Sang DiĂ» is implied to be Mr. Linh’s baby grand-daughter, or a child, infantile either way, the track presents an emotional landscape that is mixed with that of innocence but also respite and comfort in innocence- just as Mr. Linh’s relation is to this character. It twinkles, and tugs at your senses, following the same tone of the previous half of the track: solitude as well as possibility. The notes chosen towards the end mimic a sense of mystery, drawn out with the tone of the sea: where Mr. Linh sails, far away from his land.
A New Town [Track 2]
Mr. Linh arrives at a completely new, far-away land. The track starts off with sprinkles of a twinkled sound, supplemented by the graveness of the deep strings in the background. The main melody then takes over, with the use of a call-and-response between the flute, violin and airy choral vocals in the background. The melody itself oscillates between a longing and a sense of unfamiliarity. The oboe then interjects, extending the sense of unfamiliarity and disillusionment, with a very apt sprinkle of pentatonic notes in the middle, perhaps to represent Mr. Linh’s state of mind as he faces this new land, while still capturing the essence of his memory. It sounds very vulnerable, yet rich, just as his state of mind.
The Loss of a Family [Track 3]
In the story, it is stated that ‘all those who know his name are dead’. It is implied that his closest family members are all killed, in the ongoing war that ravaged his homeland and destroyed his village. The track deals with the sense of loss and devastation that this encompasses, for all that you cherish to simply perish. The track starts off almost in an ambient manner, with overtones that turn the sadness into an all-encompassing voyage of all stages of grief at once. The melody enters with definite pentatonic references, just as the rest of the tracks, with compositional choices that evoke the sense of despair. The deep guzheng-esque bass evokes the sense of grief that is distant, yet so close, with the light overtones of sound possibly depicting the innocence of the family that gets killed. The track then descends into a low piano tone, with notes of mental chaos and anguish, depicting deviance as well as terror. It poses much similarity to themed compositions of war documentaries due to the short bursts of strings, – which supplements the notion that his family perishes due to war. I absolutely love the emotional landscape and evolution of this track, as the cyclic strings get complemented with strong horns when the song reaches a crescendo and an apex. It then descends into a contemplative, yet mentally taxing note of the peak and trough of experiencing death itself, with the choral vocals and the oboe.
First Walk [Track 4]
In the next reiteration of the story, Mr. Linh embarks upon taking his first forage into the previously acknowledged ‘new land’ that he is thrust upon. Dark strings layered in an ambient fashion paint the tone of the piece as well as build a steadfast feel of sorrow that is hard to ignore. What then, seems to be a trumpet, plays a motif that evokes the feel of bravery encapsulated with a stride forward, as if it was the first step one can take. An auditory motif alluding to the significance of what it means to finally take charge. Strings emerge after this motif, building on the tone of ambience. Subversive notes emerge from the woodwinds afterwards, with the tone of a question or even a whimsical re-evulation of what one is doing. While this aspect of the song develops, an extra motif blossoms and shines, possibly alluding to the new possibilities that await as his first step emerges into steps, a first journey. The instrumentation with the flute afterwards is dynamic in its tone as well as what it conveys, a sort of melancholic poetry mixed with question. The drums hasten, creating a groove for the track, which is contrasted with the continuous crescendo of the bold and dramatic sounds in the background (possibly a more significant string component.) This use of juxtaposition is extremely innovative as it gives the song more depth and contemplation than it already does. It then reinvents itself as a track, with an earnest flute taking the lead- almost as if it were to honestly convey ups and downs while still being fairly immersive. It even adds aspects of free-form jazz to form a metaphorical crux. The song then descends into what I’d describe as ‘sombre acknowledgement’ of the action and what lies beyond. This composition is highly thought-provoking and utilises many aspects of various instrumentation to paint a picture.
Meeting Mr. Bark [Track 5]
Meeting Mr. Bark starts off with a highly imperative tone, softened with the instrumentation and the plucked strings in the background. It grabs you, with an extra tone of seriousness that is not necessarily displayed in the other tracks. This is the point at which presumably, Monsieur Linh meets Mr. Bark in the midst of his walk. The track portrays a sort of subversiveness as well as caution upon encroaching an entity that is new- yet contrasted with the desire to open up, as well as be fragile. The soft sprinkles in the sound create the feel of vulnerability while what I assume to be an alto saxophone takes up the main melodic part of the track. The tone of the alto saxophone sounds almost quirky in a way, while also portraying the sentiment of feelings oscillating up and down while the piano in staccato in the background gives off the feel of anticipation as well as anxiety, presumably as Monsieur Linh communicates with this entity and tells his story without a single word, leaving more for emotional interpretation just as the track implies. It then leads up to what sounds like a glorious fanfare, with more pentatonic elements and melancholy wrapped up in the concept of righteous warfare and the sentiment of ‘packing ones trauma’ with survivorhood being the crux, yet having survivor’s guilt. The choice of notes throughout the track gives off an uneasy yet directive feel, which is very apt for the concept itself.
Thinking of Home/Sang DiĂ» Theme [Track 6]
This particular track transitions to a deeper ambience in its background tone. As the duration of the album proceeds and unravels, the missing puzzle pieces seem to take the listener through a travelling journey to unwrap what exactly is going on. The increasing depth of each track mirrors that exact intent.
A tender piano accompanied by a flute marks the melodic start of the track, which then gets passed on to another woodwind instrument- I assume it is closer to a clarinet but not exactly a saxophone. It comes out in a drawn-out ‘snake’-like fashion, with sparks of twinkling sounds as well as a timpani in crescendo, giving a dramatic introduction to the rest of the track.
In terms of melodic progression, this track amps up the pentatonic scale as well as reference to East Asian music- specifically, Chinese classical music. I have stated before, that the ethnocultural composition of Vietnam is primarily of Chinese descent, and that shows in their musical traditions as opposed to other Southeast Asian nations that have other scales, and ethnomusical traditions dominating their soundscape. As a result, this track definitely does reflect ‘Sang DiĂ»‘ as a cultural totem, as well as a totem of his past, present as well as future- the entity speaks for itself, just as it has been represented through sound in this song.
As someone who extremely favours pentatonic music, the melodic progression of this song is extremely poignant. It develops itself with much glory, as well as fanfare. The intermittent notes of a chime give it more oomph and is definitely the song out of this album thus far that gives me goosebumps. It is triumphant and draws out very stylistically. The song then reverts to the same type of intentionally ‘uneasy’ and subversive tone that the previous track provides, with more of a weariness to it.
Flashback to Youth/Mr. Linh’s Wife [Track 7]
The next progression to this album starts off in a very inviting as well as dynamic tone, as it invites the listener to what is presumably Monsieur Linh’s reconstruction and memory of his life, going back to before the war occurred. It is very sparkly and the jazz-like tone of the syncopation of the cymbals gives this track a sort of feel that reminds me of ‘mind games’ itself. As if the recollection of his memories was his relief, but also a mental maze to go through- how does one look at the past with such clarity after blood has metaphorically stained it? The choice of notes throughout the initial sequence goes in a circular motion, as if it was intentionally done to evoke the feel of never-ending thoughts. The choice of instruments is also tantamount, as the tone of the xylophone (although it sounds more to a marimba) and the woodwind instrument gives it a juxtaposition between the innocence of youth as well as the toil of memories of the past. The use of violins as well draws upon the feel of toil even more, giving it a scope of sadness.
The composition then enters a minimalist sequence in which it retains the instruments that provide the melodic tone of sadness and toil, paired with a recurring drum kick in the background. The recurring kick gives it the feel of anxiety and a heart beat, as the sounds of innocence draw out. Very, very true to its title and description.
The Gift [Track 8]
In the midst of the mystery of Sang DiĂ» itself, Mr. Bark, his newfound friend, gifts her a new dress to accompany Monsieur Linh on his walks. Even though it seems like a simple act, the story itself is poised with many different undertones, implications as well as interpretations- but Mr. Bark, in his act, shows his sympathy and understanding with this mere action.
The track starts off very tenderly, with a distinct string in the background almost giving it a sparkled ‘screech’ to the rest of the song. The harp in this provides the song contemplation, as well as the choice of notes of the piano. Once again, the woodwind instrument is the main star of the melody. The piano almost gives the song the feel of oscillating feelings through its constant peaks and troughs, as if the emotions could be transmitted without any extra effort.
The same tone of oscillating questions resonate throughout the rest of the track, with the strings giving the track more of an euphoric yet holistic feel. Listening to this track makes it feel like you are going through a field with many turns but no ends, but without any hostility. Just as Monsieur Linh goes through the journey of life with no real clear conscience, but Mr. Bark’s actions and intent in passing this gift provides a sort of relief- he has someone who understands, who cares about his state of mind and why Sang DiĂ» is important to him. It definitely ends with a poignant note.
Mr. Bark Remembers [Track 9]
Sorrow and a different form of survivor’s guilt marks the start of this track. This time, the survivor is not the one affected by the circumstances, but instead, the creator of said circumstances. As the story unfolds, it is known that Mr. Bark was part of the efforts in Monsieur Linh’s circumstances. He somehow, had a hand in the war that ravaged Monsieur Linh’s village, being partly responsible for why he is in the state that he is in now. The track starts off with a melancholic sequence of strings, but it also sounds like an opener to the rest of the story. The piano and woodwind then paints the tone of regret, and then leads to a melodic sequence that sounds like glory in vain. It then switches up completely, to a much more grave and serious tone, illuminated by the switch in sequence through the strings and the horn section. It is very hard-hitting, possibly to illustrate Mr. Bark’s role in the war itself- the sound of the snare is very characteristic of military marching bands, and the style of cymbals chosen is also reminiscent of Chinese war music. The horns also give it an extra flair. The song then goes back to the same tone of the first segment, as if it was intentionally in A-B-A format, to represent the regret that haunts Mr. Bark: here he is, interacting with and seeing the result of his actions, and having to come to terms with it. He can appease the result of his actions as much as he wants, but the weight of his actions already wears him down.
A New Home [Track 10]
Monsieur Linh, in the story, eventually gets shuffled between various different forms of housing and entities to foster him somewhere, as an elderly refugee. However, since he is a refugee, he gets trapped within refugee centres, where he is mistreated. This then leads to an extremely unfavourable outcome, as it worsens the situation for Monsieur Linh mentally- he already has the scars and wounds from his past, and now he has to open new ones with maltreatment.
The song starts with the tone of confusion and contemplation from the harp, with the strings giving it a subversive emotionality and the rest of the instrumentation evoking a sort of innocence akin to helplessness, just as Monsieur Linh is while being shuffled through these institutions.
This track definitely has more of a ‘concert band’ feel to it compared to a baseline orchestral feel, with also a more whimsical approach akin to instrumental Disney compositions. It evokes the feel of a journey through the various string components, but one that definitely has not ended. It oscillates between peaks and lows of accomplishment as well as struggle, as Monsieur Linh has acquired a place to stay at, but his experiences are not what he expected.
The track then descends into a somewhat airy, and delectably spooky sequence that is primarily dictated with airy choral vocals. The way the tone of the track changes and transforms is pretty seamless and genius, displayed in all of the other compositions as well. The pseudo-otherworldiness of the flute is contrasted with the airy choral vocals, with conniving strings giving it more of the feel of regret and misfortune. The melodic component of misfortune is then stretched out with a woodwind instrument, with pizzicatos from the strings and spaced out notes from the piano then descending into a sequence reminiscent of ‘the unknown’.
A very, very stylistically dynamic track.
Escape/Finding Mr. Bark [Track 11]
After being confined to the refugee home, Monsieur Linh takes on a journey to abscond from the home and set out on a journey to find Mr. Bark, his secondary refuge in the midst of all of this chaos and somewhat of a lifeline.
The track begins with the feel of solitude and contemplative helplessness. The consistent motifs of sorrow and pentatonic music reignite in this track, but with a more striking approach. It is less ‘whole’, but in this minimalism, it gives the scenario more of a serious depth to it. It is also filled with audio motifs of the unknown, and mystery, sustained by the strings, woodwind and the dissipatory tone of the piano itself. The constant string in the background adds tension, as motivic variation develops in the rest of the track.
The flute wraps the track up as if it were a winding plant amid a forest. It supports the track in such a miniscule yet profound way. It is earnest, yet developing- just as the situation of the story at this point. The jazz-like groove of the cymbals, albeit subtle, also add a tone of suspense. The horns afterwards give the song a resolution that is like no other, consistent and very dominant.
I like the use of suspense and tension through the tempo changes and the use of the notes in the background, and the sequence of the horns mimic Monsieur Linh’s possible unwavering will and desire to locate Mr. Bark amid his escape. It then erupts into a melodic apex, which somehow feels like an accomplishment through the use of the horns.
In the finishing segment of this track, even though it is instrumentation, the dominant melodic notes done from the woodwind which I presume to be a saxophone at this point, almost sounds as if it is having a conversation- and the pianos evoke the feel of relief and familiarity…. and then, an abrupt hit occurs. The stylistic fashion of subito crescendo, it then changes the journey of the composition. It is the auditory version of a ‘halt’, apt for the next segment of this whole album.
This composition is extremely tender and takes you through the emotional apex of the story. It is very, very well done as it oscillates between the feelings and the emotional tension of the story.
Sang DiĂ»/Reveal [Track 12]
This particular composition begins by wrapping you up in a solitary yet profound mix of low strings, distant woodwinds, and the use of slight noise. It takes you through the metaphorical waves, through the strings, and marks the emotional tone with the melody of the woodwind- it is sombre, it is gut-wrenching. It eats at you and takes you in the constant swim of emotion throughout the album.
Twinkling sounds oscillate within a soundscape of sorrow-filled violins, and the horns in the background give this song the triumphant reveal it requires.
At the end of the day, in subtle cues and context, it is then revealed that Sang DiĂ» is not a human, it is not a child. It is a doll that Monsieur Linh had found next to his deceased kin, as the last artifact linked to their existence.
The track then develops itself in a very whimsical and dynamic manner, going through a ‘bouncy’ melodic sequence, taking you out of the extreme depth of sorrow in the first part of the track. Something as dark as the origin of Sang Diu, holds as much innocence as it does trauma.
It then erupts completely, with the realisation of what Sang DiĂ» actually is, through the fanfare of horns and the timpani. It is regal, it is bold, and it is open in its expression. The similar pentatonic motif throughout the album returns, almost as if it were the last vestiges of the novelty of the story, and twinkles out. Hopes and dreams, once began, once shattered, once reignited, all over again.
This album in its entire conception was extremely poignant and interesting to begin with. I had not heard of the story before this album, but I am ardent in thinking that musical motifs are more effective than simply reading words. Logocentrism has its limits. Sound can be connected to many things- visualisation, and simply, communication. This album truly, and competently communicated the story to me. It was exactly as if somebody narrated the story to me, but without words. I could feel each scene and every subtle intent.
In terms of instrumentation, it is simply profound. The artist makes good use of most concepts of dynamics as well as instrumentation when it comes to classical composition to express the intent of the album in itself. The instruments match every emotional motif, it is very aptly mastered, it has plenty of musical variability with just enough reconstitution (certain reoccurring melodies) to ground the listener back to where the intent of the composition was, without being predictable. The artist surely has an eye or shall I say, ear, for thematic composition.
I truly felt like I learned a lot, and grew a lot while listening to this album. As I quote in my earlier paragraph,
‘Didier’s music emphasises melodies, which he describes as âportableâ, that one can carry away from a film, bringing back the feelings experienced while watching the movie. His aspiration is to touch and move people, the way that he has been moved by the music he loves.’
and this is one of the most purest descriptions of Didier’s artistry. It is simply true. The concept of portable melodies in this entire album did touch and move me- dare I say, it evoked emotions and mechanisms more than that.
All in all, this was an extremely brilliant piece of art and I wish Didier all his best and to never stop his quest of continuous learning when it comes to music, as it reflects extremely well on the quality of work that he puts out and his understanding of music as a mechanism to transport ideas. Bravo.
Rating/Outstanding â ‘Monsieur Linh and His Child’ is one of the most profound pieces of work I have ever listened to, especially for pieces that are inspired by stories and other forms of art. It is an album that definitely effectively communicates every iota of the story, and the feeling to wonderfully crafted music. It is a thought-provoking and highly competent album.
[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]
Citations for this review:
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/747582
https://medium.com/urmindace-stories/monsieur-linh-and-his-child-723fd6623d61
Philippe Claudel – La Petite Fille de Monsieur Linh
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