artist
ANTOINE FAFARD
album
PROTO MUNDI
release date
OCTOBER 17th, 2017
Proto Mundi is Antoine Fafard’s first conceptual album project. The music on Proto Mundi totals just over 50 minutes and is spread over only three tracks: Mission Ganymede, The Journey and Empty World. These three pieces are also the name of the three chapters that make up the short story available in the booklet of the album.
This album project began to take form following an opportunity to record with drummer Simon Phillips, who was to visit the UK, before embarking on an European clinic tour in June 2017. Early in the year, UK-based Antoine booked two days at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Wiltshire for the end of May, and spent the following months composing and recording guitar tracks specifically for this session.
All the drum tracks were recorded during the two days at Real Word, while in parallel, Jerry Goodman provided violin tracks for this music. Finally, multi-instrumentalist Gary Husband recorded his keyboard parts at the end of August at Eastcote Studios in London.
Simon had previously recorded one piece for Antoine, 13 Good Reason, which was included in the album Occultus Tramitis released in 2013. Jerry was also featured on that track, as well as five more numbers on this album.
The Proto Mundi short story was written after most of the music was composed, and includes the themes of war of classes, advanced robotics and the concept of creating a new idealistic world far away from Earth.
Proto Mundi as a whole can be best described as a suite made of multiple sections and variations. The virtuosity of Phillips, Goodman and Husband are on display, while Fafard provides all the bass and guitar tracks, including electric guitar lead parts and solos, a first for him.
Proto Mundi is provided with a bonus album entitled Doomsday Vault which includes four previously unreleased pieces, plus 11 songs from Antoine’s first three solo albums released in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
All the music on this double album project was mixed and mastered by Davide Sgualdini who has been working with Antoine since the album Sphère released in 2016.
Antoine Fafard bass, all guitars
Simon Phillips drums
Jerry Goodman violin
Gary Husband lead keyboards
http://www.antoinefafard.com
