Moving Images
Much of Florent's recent work centers around the integration of video. Far from being a mere accompaniment to the music or an abstract interpretation of the sounds, Florent's approach entails the literal visual representation of the musical content. It's a symbiotic relationship where the music and video are inseparable. Comparable to the musical genre of "musique concrète," Florent treats moving images with a systematic, object-oriented approach, favoring captured material over synthesis. His video work is characterized by rapid edits of music, sounds, and images, often resulting in a hypnotic experience where the brain loses track of the underlying patterns.
Interaction and real-time video generation have been central to Florent's PhD dissertation at Princeton University and the creation of the 2022 double album Ritournelles & Mosaïques. With a focus on highlighting the playfulness of the creative process, Florent has designed a robust environment using the programs Jitter and Max For Live, allowing for the automation of video edits and effects in real-time. This environment continues to be his primary working tool. Below is a selection of Florent's video works.
Gutbucket: Luton
Created for the band Gutbucket, this music video endeavors to capture the intriguing dichotomy between the band members' extreme synchronization and moments of sheer chaos.
Goldfeather: Spilled Milk
By manipulating various frame rates in the video capture, this music video accentuates the contrast in speed between the rapid banjo motives and the sustained vocal tones. The video was filmed on the Mary A. Whalen ship in Brooklyn, NY.
Ritournelles & Mosaïques
Ritournelles & Mosaïques is a double album released by Cantaloupe Music in 2022. The first half, Ritournelles, is an acoustic and electronic album that explores the timbre of low strings, featuring instruments like double basses, cellos, and acoustic guitars. On the other hand, Mosaïques, the second half of the album, is an audiovisual experience containing 13 pieces that incorporate a wide range of visual materials. An example from Mosaïques is the piece titled Tennis, where videos of tennis players' screams are transformed into melodic material.
You can enjoy the complete video album here.
Petits Artéfacts
Petits Artéfacts is a composition created for cellist Nick Photinos, blending solo cello, electronics, and videos. This piece unfolds in six movements, with each movement delving into different aspects of the interaction between the performer and the videos. Petits Artéfacts was officially released on NewAmsterdam Records in 2017.
Here is the first movement, titled "Game," incorporates a video featuring the early video game Pong.
You can access the complete set of videos here.
Télévision
Télévision, released in 2014, marked Florent Ghys' first video album. This collection presents 13 audiovisual compositions, exploring themes such as weather reports, digital music, plastic beauty, synesthesia, and dance. All the videos have been consolidated into a 65-minute compilation, available for viewing below.
4 Bucolic Machines
4 Bucolic Machines is a composition in four movements, originally crafted for the ensemble Now Hear. The performance took place amidst the serene backdrop of the Avaloch Farm Music Institute in New Hampshire, nestled in the heart of the forest. The movement presented here, "Woods," delves into the synergy between visuals and sounds, exploring techniques to engage the mind in rapid associations.