Vintage Jazz-Funk producer Rose Noir has shared the rhythmically-stimulating record ‘Modele V’, taken from his recently released debut EP, Bloom, via Halfeti Records. Based in Paris, having lived in London, as well as LA, Rose Noir composes gripping music inspired by ‘70s motion pictures and obscure music libraries. He is a two-time World Champion turntablist who has performed on numerous internationally acclaimed stages such as Coachella, Sónar, and EDC Las Vegas. The producer has his roots in Hip-Hop and plans to craft beat tapes that nod to pioneering legends Madlib and Jay Dilla. In moniker and music, Rose Noir blends the velveteen delicacy of rose petals with the black-and-white starkness of film noir to create a tension between beauty and darkness.

“The music is definitely inspired by ‘70s movies, but also by obscure ‘70s libraries music vinyl which is what music supervisors were using as background music in movies, advertisements, TV shows etc…but also nowadays highly sought after by music enthusiasts and hip-hop producers looking for new materials to sample. I don’t have specific scenes in mind, but it’s like I’m trying to write the soundtrack of an imaginary suspense film from the past.”

Tell us about the creative process behind this album.

I wrote most of the music during the pandemic. It was a great experience to be stuck in an amazing music studio filled with cool instruments, so I started experimenting. Sometimes not knowing music theory can be a blessing because you are simply trying to make the best of what you have and often come up with original melodies and harmonies. As a result, I structured the tracks around those ideas, and the music kept flowing because it was a new direction for me. Jazz-Funk takes a major place in my music taste, so writing and producing it came naturally to me.

We see that cinematic 70's albums are a great inspiration, tell us about other inspirations for this album and in general?

I had the chance to witness a great era of amazing TV shows and movies, along with their obscure soundtracks. As well, I was given great records by family members that really inspired me, from James Brown to Quincy Jones or Bob James, so I had early access to great music and I am very grateful for that. At the time, French composers such as Serge Gainsbourg, Francois de Roubais, and Alain Goraguer were incredibly talented and ahead of their time. In addition to Azimuth or Lalo Schifrin, Brian Bennett, David Axelrod, and Marc Moulin are some of my favorites. Modern music inspirations include BadBadNotGood, Madlib many Jazz-Projects, or Surprise Chef. A lot of the new generation from the UK right now is absolutely stunning, including Yussef Dayes, Alfa Mist, Mansur Brown & Rocco Palladino. The track "love is a message" recorded live at Abbey Road is a masterpiece.

How does technology affect the work you do as a creative person?

Despite my love of music, I have never studied music theory. Having started out as a DJ/turntablist in the mid-90s, I quickly developed a passion for producing music on a laptop in the early 2000s. Following that period, my laptop became my best friend and I began learning every aspect of music production. My main goal when writing the Rose Noir album was to create the impression that the music was recorded by a four-man band in a studio, complete with mistakes, imperfections, and a human touch. It's important to me to blur the lines between what was recorded live versus what was produced exclusively in a box, and I'm using technology to do that.

What about growing up in the 90's inspired you in terms of music and music production?

Hip Hop was one of the first musical genres I was exposed to when I was nine years old, with Fear of a Black Planet by Public Enemy being the first album I heard. Even though I wouldn't be able to understand the lyrics, I would love the cadence, the rhythm, the energy because I had never listened to something like it before. To me, mid 90s rap was hip-hop's quintessence, but when I started listening to the background better and paying attention to the music the producers sampled, I discovered the true essence of hip-hop. Afterwards, I discovered J-dilla, Madlib, and was immediately attracted to their music. It was then that I became fascinated by the music they were sampling, and from then on I fell into this giant music pit. I always produced hip hop beats, and you can hear a glimpse of it on R.A.P Ferreira’s latest album “5 to the Eye with Stars” on which I produced 2 tracks. The album has been getting marvelous reviews from press like NPR, Fader & Pitchfork, and It couldn’t be a better introduction for Rose Noir’s hip hop beats

If you had to choose 3 albums you couldn't live without- which ones would they be?

• Quasimoto - The Unseen (2000)

• Arthur Verocai - Arthur Verocai (1972)

• Azimüth - Azimüth (1975)

What's next for you Rose Noir? 

I'm very excited about the music I've already planned for 2023. A new jazz-funk EP is on the way, but I have also expanded the Rose Noir project to produce hip-hop-oriented “beat tapes”. Taking inspiration from my past and giving it a modern twist is a flashback to my roots. The two tracks I produced on R.A.P Ferreira's latest album "5 to the Eye with Stars" are examples of my hip hop beat production. This album has received wonderful reviews from NPR, Fader & Pitchfork, and it couldn't be a better introduction to my beats

The next step is to recruit some amazing musicians for a band, so we can finally present Rose Noir and perform the project live.

What does wellbeing mean for you and what do you practice? 

My definition of wellbeing is not letting the world around me affect my mental and physical health. The pandemic helped me prioritize things I often overlooked, like focusing on myself, as well as acknowledging my surroundings more. There are times when we find ourselves running after something we don't really understand. The answer to our search is often right in front of us, but we just need to open our eyes and hearts.

We are constantly staring at screens and forgetting what the real world is like because of social media and the internet nowadays. As a result of the constant flow of mediocre content we are being fed, we are becoming less and less sensitive to the things that are really important, such as our friends, family, and our own mental health. Moments should be enjoyed and made into memories, we only have a limited amount of time, and our happiness is of utmost importance. Success for me is being happy, and I've been successful so far in that regard.

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Image credit: Diane Sagnier