- Words Maria Mukaranda
After a seven-year hiatus, French electronic virtuoso Croquet Club, known offstage as Jeremy Villecourt, returns with his debut album, Fugue in Twilight.
Meet Croquet Club, AKA Jeremy Villecourt. Departing from his previous up-tempo releases, the artist’s latest offering takes listeners on a journey marked by introspection and a heightened musical maturity. With eight tracks that defy genre boundaries, Fugue in Twilight details his evolution as an artist, showcasing a departure from ‘ego-driven’ creation and a return to the essence of pure expression.
Born and raised in the serene landscapes of the South West of France, Jeremy’s musical journey began in the solitude of his small town, where he found solace in the studio environment, honing his craft as a multi-instrumentalist and producer. Despite initially pursuing a career in law, Jeremy Villecourt’s passion for music eventually led him to embrace his calling as a composer and sound architect.
Reflecting on his artistic odyssey, he shares, “Croquet Club was born out of a desire for creative freedom, away from the constraints of commercialism and expectation. With ‘Fugue in Twilight,’ I sought to reconnect with the purity of expression, crafting each track as a reflection of my innermost thoughts and emotions.”
Driven by a desire to transcend conventional boundaries, Croquet Club approached the album with meticulous attention to detail, recording each instrument live to capture the raw essence of his compositions. From the haunting melodies of ‘Slowly’ to the ethereal soundscape of ‘Love In Our Hands’, every track encapsulates a moment of deep introspection, inviting listeners to embark on a journey of self-discovery.
For Fugue in Twilight, Jeremy Villecourt recorded the entire album as if it were live, playing every instrument himself without any loops: “It took a long time,” he says. “I had to write the music, write the lyrics, rehearse every instrument, record each part one by one, then mix it myself.” Creating it all by himself for the experience, he explains: “It was like crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a rowing boat,” he says, “I could take the ferry, I could take the plane, but I chose to challenge myself and see how far I can go.”