With a calm and sometimes ironic voice, Sinclair is relaxed when he introduces his new album. Moving beyond his usual funky French label, he offers the audience songs that are “darker, less expected,” according to him. And indeed, this album leaves its mark on the singer’s career. “It’s going very well,” he assures. Although for him, the album was created in pain. Two years of reflection, two years to mature, and two months of writing. His “giant constipation” ultimately yields twelve more rock-oriented songs. The style has changed because the man has changed; “I tried to erase the stigmas of black music.” This same music that has followed him since the beginning. Collins and Stevie Wonder, his references and inspirations until now, are set aside for a pop-rock musical style that sometimes reaches, in his own words, “the off-format.”
Morphologique is thus a compilation of styles, a set of rhythms and arrangements left to the sole appreciation of his musicians. Because Sinclair is not alone and after more than ten years in the industry, he has surrounded himself with a technically skilled team with whom he has “a true exchange.” He admits, when asked about choosing his musicians, that compatibility is an important criterion when spending days with them in the same bus, night and day.
The singer works as he pleases, with people he likes. He cannot lie. So, it is no surprise that his album expresses his fear of time passing. Sinclair sleeps very little and feels that time is moving too fast. His album cover, by Marc Maggiori (metal singer of Pleymo – Editor’s note), though very different from him, aptly expresses the leap forward that Sinclair has managed to make. Luckily, at 37, he can reassure himself. A father, producer, and independent, he has founded his own label “Ministrong” (after his lawsuit with his former major EMI, Sinclair was able to regain the rights to his tapes – Editor’s note). He is now artistically free and no longer thinks about the sales necessary to stay the darling of the major labels. Mathieu Blanc-Francard, known as Sinclair, makes music that he likes, with people he likes, in a style he likes. What could be better? To promote the artists he produces, who appear as opening acts like Smooth, the electro revelation of the year 2005, unique in style and era. Perhaps a reflection of today’s Sinclair, who remains rebellious when talking about TV (even though he admits that the 7 million viewers of ‘Star Ac’ don’t hurt, while radios snub him). This is also what independence entails.
Sinclair may not produce another album like Morphologique, but hopes to dedicate himself mainly to film music, a universe he adores, where the music speaks for itself and allows him to forget his image. Yes, Sinclair has dropped his ego and Morphologique suits him perfectly.
