French music maker Chapelier Fou (which translates to “Mad Hatter”) has made a name for himself splicing maniacal French house beats over quirky cinematic samples.
His single, “Tea Tea Tea,” is both mesmerizing and unsettling, showcasing a knack for unpredictable and avant-garde production that blends the fruits of techno with the emotional nature of orchestral music. At first listen, the song’s scatterbrained arpeggios and glitchy string movements are a bit disorienting, but upon further analysis, one can begin to pick out the intricate musical structures inherent within Fou’s work. The video, a mash-up of crypto-art aesthetics and Japanese tea ceremony imagery, helps reflect the intricacies of the mix.
Fou, who is a multi-instrumentalist and former teacher, has had quite a busy year—creating music installations for schools and soundtracks for film and TV, including a brilliant advert for Google Web Labs. His newest album, Deltas, is slated for release in November.
