Lone Runner is a teenager in the ‘80s. Daydreaming is his pastime.
He has a passion both for synthesizers (the ones he owns and those he can’t afford) and for John Carpenters movies he rents at the local video store.
He makes music alone, recording himself on a tape recorder, and he also plays in a prog-rock band.
In the early ‘90s, he puts away his synths and takes time off.
In 2007, while he’s randomly surfing the Net, Lone Runner stumbles on a French speaking discussion group in which analogue keyboards enthusiasts are sharing their feelings. Something rises again.
He hurtles down to the cellar, finds his MS20, his Pro-One and the JX3P as well. They still all work properly; LEDs are sparkling, circuits are softly purring.
From then on, in this room bathed in a white light of spring spread threw a tiny window, a new world comes out. Lone Runner starts producing tracks again, in an improvised way.
No MIDI signal, no sampler, only old-fashioned machines connected by dusty cables. And yet, it sounds pretty modern.
In 2011, Lone Runner releases his first self-produced album, inspired by Tangerine Dream ‘80s period (Logos, Exit, Risky Business OST). The 12 tracks are widely published on streaming Internet platforms such as Jamendo, SoundCloud and YouTube.
In 2013, after he published new tracks on the Web, listeners tell him about Synthwave and Retrowave.
Lone Runner discovers Power Glove and Mitch Murder along with dozens of artists in that
sphere of influence.
Having found a musical family and a fresh inspiration, he then begins the recording of a brand new album.
The work method is easy: sessions of improvisation lasting for hours. Locked himself in his studio, all alone, at night, Lone Runner records relentlessly. Sometimes, a track sounds better than the others; it’s more inspired and the tunes are superior. It takes a few hours to enhance and give the final touch to the track. Statics and bad contacts, noise peaks, unintentional syncopations and wrong notes are most often preserved to prove machines have an independent life.
Some tracks are published on the internet, meet a wider audience and are shared by the Synthwave community on SoundCloud, Reddit and Facebook.
In october 2015, Lone Runner performs live in Paris, France for the very first time: 6 synthesizers, a drum machine and a computer for 40 minutes of a great gig.
April 2016, the album is about to be released.
https://lonerunner.bandcamp.com/
2018, A new album is on the air. THIEF OF HEARTS
The production of the album was started in July 2017 with the creation of the track: Isolation.
I wanted to make a concept album about a heroine who steals jewelry. The pitch of the story pays tribute to the 80s B-series movies, the Cat's Eye manga and of course to Michael Mann's Thief, which I borrowed the logo.
The drawing of the cover was made by Antonin Gallo, an illustrator and author of French comics. I am very proud to have such a work to illustrate my music. He perfectly created a character and an atmosphere that suits the story I tell on the album.
Several guests have intervened on this album, that is a premiere because on my previous works, I was alone.
Bart Graft was the first to accept playing the guitar. I admire the work of this Irish musician since his debut on Soundcloud and I am very flattered that he agreed to play on this track which is the only song on the album. On this same track it is my wife who sings. We worked for a long time with lyrics in English and finally, I preferred to rewrite the text in French. I am very happy with the result and it makes an exotic song for my listeners around the world.
Popee is the voice of the heroine on the first track of the album. She is a recognized French gamer and active on Twitch. I really like her voice and her attitude. She perfectly embodies Sarah Delacour.
Matthieu Metzger is a very talented French saxophonist. He plays in many modern jazz bands and experimental music formations. I did not dare to hope that he agrees to play on my music. Finally, he participated in three tracks, twice on the saxophone and a third time with an ethnic flute perfect for the Egyptian atmosphere.
I absolutely wanted a participation of Vampire Step-Dad, I very much appreciate this musician , his humor and his music of course. I listened to his first tracks on Soundcloud a long time. By interactions on social networks we sympathized. His creation on the last track of the album is fantastic and inspired.
For my part, I used my analog synthesizers on all tracks and my drum machine, TR707. For the first time in the career of Lone Runner some rhythmic samples and digital synthesizers have appeared for my greatest pleasure.
I only work in my studio in the basement of my house in the Paris suburbs.
This studio is full of souvenirs, antique toys, video games, video tapes and musical instruments of course. My way of composing is often based on improvisations using synths. then, little by little, I build the tracks on my computer. There are often noise parasites, saturations, notes played by chance ... it is these unexpected events that make my music alive. Sometimes I do not feel like I made the track. The soul of the studio and of the ancient synths worked in my place.
I'm already thinking of composing a sequel to Thief Of Hearts. An album that will be darker and more Ambient. But for now I enjoy a well deserved rest and I listen to the songs of my album with satisfaction (it's a little narcissistic, I know, but artists are necessarily narcissistic ... forever.)
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