Igorrr | |
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![]() Serre in November 2010 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Gautier Serre |
Born | France | June 5, 1984
Genres | |
Years active | 2005–present |
Labels | Ad Noiseam, Metal Blade, Blood Music |
Members |
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Past members |
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Website | www |
Gautier Serre (born June 5, 1984), better known by his stage name Igorrr, is a French musician. Under the Igorrr alias, he combines a variety of disparate genres, including black metal, baroque music, breakcore, and trip hop, into a singular sound. Serre is also part of the groups Whourkr and Corpo-Mente. The Igorrr project became a full band with the addition of vocalists Aphrodite Patoulidou and JB Le Bail, drummer Sylvain Bouvier, guitarist Martyn Clément and bassist Erlend Caspersen.
History
Solo work (2005–2016)
Serre plays piano, drums, and guitar and primarily uses Steinberg Cubase for recording.[1] He named his band after a pet gerbil called Igorr that he had as a child, adding the extra "r" to "make it harder to pronounce."[2] Serre claims to have synesthesia, in his case perceiving music as colors.[2] In 2011 interview, he spoke of the origin of his solo project:
"It was around 2004–2005 when I had several groups. Whenever I had an idea or a composition, I had to consult with other people to know if it was good, not good, etc... and it annoyed me a bit. I wanted to have something for myself where I would be the only person to make that kind of decision. I was looking for a specific style of music, but I could not find what I wanted because it did not exist. The goal was that I wanted to have a CD, put it in the player and hear exactly what I wanted to hear.[1]
Igorrr self-released a demo album, Poisson Soluble (2006) and Moisissure (2008, Acroplane Recordings),[3] which gained the attention of label Ad Noiseam.[4] His debut album Nostril was released in 2010, alongside a companion EP Baroquecore.[4] Both demos were reissued in 2011.[4] Igorrr's second album Hallelujah was released in 2012.[4] It featured collaboration from Mayhem guitarist Teloch and classical singer Laure Le Prunenec.[4][5] Igorrr's pet chicken, Patrick, gained notoriety for "playing" the piano (Serre would put chicken feed on corresponding keys the chicken would peck at.)[6][7][8][9] Serre won a GoPro award for film making for a video of Patrick playing filmed with a GoPro.[10][11]
Expansion to full band (2017–present)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Igorrr_selestat_2017.jpg/220px-Igorrr_selestat_2017.jpg)
In February 2017, Igorrr signed with Metal Blade Records.[12][13] His third album Savage Sinusoid, was released on June 16, 2017. The album was recorded over five years by a collective of musicians.[14][15][16][17] The album was preceded by the single "ieuD".[18][19] Unlike previous Igorrr albums, it did not feature any samples. It featured collaboration with members of Cattle Decapitation and Secret Chiefs 3.[20][4][21] The album received positive critical reception, Metal Injection awarded it "The Bat Shit Crazy Album Of The Year Award",[22] and a perfect 10/10 score,[23] while AllMusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars.[24] Metal Hammer gave the album 4 out of 5 stars as well.[25] The album charted in Belgium on the Ultratop Flanders chart, reaching #173.[26]
Igorrr toured North America for the first time in 2018.[27] In June 2018, Igorrr supported Ministry on their 2018 North American tour.[28] The live show features drummer Sylvain Bouvier and vocalists Laure Le Prunenec and Laurent Lunoir, alongside Serre on vocals and programming.[2][6]
Igorrr has also performed at several other festivals, including Heavy Montréal festival,[29] Dour Festival (three times, in 2014, 2015 and 2017),[30] Roadburn Festival,[31] Europavox,[32] Montreux Jazz Festival,[33] Metaldays,[34] Durbuy Rock Festival,[35] Motocultor Festival,[36] Download Festival,[37] Brutal Assault,[38] Hellfest Open Air,[39] FortaRock,[40] and Copenhell,[41] among others. Igorrr also had a short film shown at the Orlando Film Festival.[42] They also performed at a rock festival hosted by the opera company Opéra national du Rhin in 2017.[43]
Style and influences
Igorrr's sound combines breakbeats, heavy metal riffs, extreme tempo changes, and operatic singing coupled with screaming/growling, among other elements, to create what AllMusic describes as "an intense, disturbing, and undeniably distinct experience".[4] The project's musical sources include black metal,[12] death metal,[44] industrial metal,[45] progressive metal,[46] classical music (especially Baroque music),[13] Balkan music,[47] breakcore,[48][49] and trip hop.[12][4][13][50] It has provoked labels such as "Baroquecore"[5] and has been described as Dadaist.[51]
In a 2017 interview, Serre said of the origin of Igorrr: "It started when I was a teenager looking for a band or an artist destroying all the limits of music, a band able to bring what all the boring mainstream bands could not bring."[52] Serre listed classical composers Frédéric Chopin, Johann Sebastian Bach, Jean-Philippe Rameau, and Domenico Scarlatti, alongside contemporary acts Taraf de Haïdouks, Cannibal Corpse, Meshuggah, Aphex Twin, Mr. Bungle (as well as other Mike Patton projects),[2] and Portishead as influences in the early days.[53][54][5]
Collaborations
With other musicians
Serre was part of Whourkr from 2005 up until 2013 when the group split up into their individual projects.[55][56] Igorrr released the Maigre EP, a collaboration with French artist Ruby My Dear.[4] Starting in 2015, Serre is part of Corpo-Mente, where he works with vocalist Laure Le Prunenec. Their first self-titled album was on the label Blood Music and recorded at Improve Tone Studio in Lezoux, France.[57] He also collaborated with fellow breakcore artist Bong-Ra[58] Serre worked with The Algorithm on Brute Force.[59]
Serre has remixed songs for Morbid Angel (released on Illud Divinum Insanus – The Remixes[59]) and Meshuggah.[5]
Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc
Igorrr composed half of the soundtrack to the musical film Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc directed by Bruno Dumont.[60][61][62] The film was screened at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival.[48] The soundtrack was nominated for Best Music at the 23rd Lumières Awards.[63] According to Serre, his initial compositions had a "medieval atmosphere", before the director told him to "just do Igorrr".[64] The score is described as "electro-pop with a dose of heavy metal" and techno-pop.[65][66]
Band members
Current members
- Gautier Serre – guitar, programming, instrumentations & vocals (2005–present)
- Erlend Caspersen – bass (2017–present)
- Martyn Clément – guitar (2019–present)
- JB Le Bail – unclean vocals (2021–present)
- Marthe Alexandre – mezzo-soprano vocals (2022–present)
- Rémi Serafino – drums (2024–present; touring 2023–2024)
Former members
- Laurent Lunoir – unclean vocals (2008–2021)
- Laure Le Prunenec – vocals (2010–2021)
- Aphrodite Patoulidou – soprano vocals (2021–2022)
- Patrick the chicken – chicken vocals, piano (2005–2015)[67]
- Sylvain Bouvier – drums (2016–2024)
Discography
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/SIMG_0135igorrr_%286215625124%29.jpg/220px-SIMG_0135igorrr_%286215625124%29.jpg)
Studio albums
- Nostril (2010)
- Hallelujah (2012)
- Savage Sinusoid (2017)
- Spirituality and Distortion (2020)
Demos
- Poisson Soluble (2006)
- Moisissure (2008)
EPs
- Baroquecore (2010)
- Maigre with Ruby My Dear (2014)
with Whourkr
- Demo (2005)
- Naät (2007)
- Concrete (2008, reissued 2010)
- 4247 Snare Drums (2012)
- Naät + Concrete (2013, vinyl reissue)
with Corpo-Mente
- Corpo-Mente (2014)
References
- ^ a b Duke, Raoul and Suicyco (10 January 2011). "A L 'Arrache interview: Igorrr". A L 'Arrache (in French). Archived from the original on 21 November 2016.
- ^ a b c d Baumgartner, Stefan (2 November 2017). "Igorrr: Zwischen Genie und Wahnsinn" [Igorrr: Between genius and madness]. Oeticket (in German).
- ^ "Sound Bytes : Ad Noiseam Special : Igorrr, Ruby My Dear, The Outside Agency and Fausten". Headphone Commute. 8 May 2013. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Stephenson, Eric. "Igorrr - Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2017-04-18.
- ^ a b c d Tfaaon (15 June 2015). "Gautier Serre alias Igorrr, ténor du baroquecore" [Gautier Serre alias Igorrr, baroquecore tenor]. La Grosse Radio Metal (in French). Archived from the original on 22 October 2017.
- ^ a b "IGORRR On The Repetition Of Metal, Patrick The Chicken, Lars Ulrich's Snare Drum & More". Metal Injection. 14 July 2017.
- ^ Dicker, Ron (10 November 2014). "Chicken Plays Piano Better Than Most Kids At A Recital". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016.
- ^ Ron, Dicker (27 September 2017). "This Piano-Playing Chicken Will Knock You Over With A Feather". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016.
- ^ Raynor, Madeline (6 October 2016). "How to Get a Chicken to Play the Piano". Slate.
- ^ "GoPro: Video of the Day: Acclaimed French composer and multi-instrumentalist (and now GoPro Award recipient) Igorrr lets his beloved chicken Patrick take center stage for a musical union of epic proportions!". GoPro. 23 October 2016.
- ^ "Go Pro Awards Official Selections: Chicken Sonata". GoPro.
- ^ a b c Godla, Frank (24 February 2017). "Metal Blade Signs Musical Genius IGORRR! - Who Melds Genres Like Black Metal & Trip Hop Together". Metal Injection. Metal Injection LLC. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017.
- ^ a b c "Igorrr signs worldwide deal with Metal Blade Records". Metal Blade Records. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 21 December 2017.
- ^ "Igorrr: "Savage Sinusoid"-Album erscheint im Frühling" [Igorrr: "Savage Sinusoid" album is released in spring]. Rock Hard (in German). 21 February 2017.
- ^ Berlatsky, Noah (26 January 2018). "Igorrr creates operatic collage polka metal and it is awesome". Chicago Reader. Wrapports LLC. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018.
- ^ Lechim (11 May 2017). "Igorrr Shares Making of 'Savage Sinusoid' Video Part 2". Ultimate Guitar.
- ^ Jeppsson, Jonn Palmér (12 June 2017). "Igorrr och Circle är genreanarki med mer eller mindre poäng" [Igorrr and Circle produces genre anarchy with varying coherence]. Sydsvenskan (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 15 June 2017.
- ^ Rosenberg, Axl (11 April 2017). "Listennn to Igorrr's "ieuD" - MetalSucks". MetalSucks. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017.
- ^ "IGORRR "ieuD" Is The Video Masterpiece I've Been Waiting For!". Metal Injection. Metal Injection, LLC. 11 April 2017. Archived from the original on 20 December 2017.
- ^ Ehoarn (14 December 2012). "Igorrr : Tu avoueras que ça envoie le steak" [Igorrr: "You'll admit that it sends the steak"]. Tartine of Contrabass (in French). Archived from the original on 21 November 2016.
- ^ "IGORRR "Cheval" Shows The Silly Side Of The Band, And Features CATTLE DECAPITATION Vocalist". Metal Injection. Metal Injection, LLC. 5 June 2017. Archived from the original on 11 November 2017.
- ^ Godla, Frank (19 December 2017). "The 2017 Franky Awards For 15 Best Albums of the Year, And The Winner Is..." Metal Injection. Metal Injection, LLC. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017.
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- ^ Simpson, Paul. "Review: Savage Sinusoid - Igorrr". Allmusic. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 2017-07-13.
- ^ Lawson, Dom (15 August 2017). "Igorrr - Savage Sinusoid album review". Metal Hammer. Future Plc. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018.
- ^ "Igorrr - Savage Sinusoid charts". Ultratop. Belgian Entertainment Association. Archived from the original on 2018-07-07.
- ^ Rosenberg, Axl (24 October 2017). "Igorrr to Tour North America for the First Time". MetalSucks. Archived from the original on 23 November 2017.
- ^ DiVita, Joe (5 June 2018). "Ministry Book Late 2018 North American Tour". Loudwire. Archived from the original on 16 June 2018.
- ^ Krgin, Borivoj (21 February 2018). "AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON To Headline This Year's HEAVY MONTRÉAL Festival". Blabbermouth.net.
- ^ "Dour Festival 2014 / 2015 / 2017 - Igorrr". Dour Festival. Archived from the original on 2017-10-13.
- ^ "Igorrr – Roadburn Festival". roadburn.com.
- ^ "Igorrr - Europavox". europavox.com.
- ^ "Igorrr - Montreux Jazz Festival". montreuxjazzfestival.com. Archived from the original on 2018-11-01. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
- ^ "IGORRR - The soundtrack of the end of the world!". Archived from the original on 2018-07-07.
- ^ "IGORRR @DRF 2018 – Durbuy Rock Festival". durbuyrock.be. 13 November 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-07-07.
- ^ "Igorrr - Motocultor Festival". Archived from the original on 2018-08-26. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
- ^ "Igorrr - Download Festival". Archived from the original on 2018-07-21. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
- ^ "Brutal Assault Festival 2017 - All Metal Festivals". allmetalfest.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-09.
- ^ "Hellfest Open Air 2017 - All Metal Festivals". allmetalfest.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-04.
- ^ "Igorrr". FortaRock. Archived from the original on 2018-07-07.
- ^ "LINE-UP". COPENHELL. Archived from the original on 2016-04-16.
- ^ "orlando Film fest: Igorrr Opus Brain". Orlando Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
- ^ Dubois, Arthur (15 February 2017). "Igorrr, Psygnosis, Grorr, les groupes de métal à l'affiche de... l'Opéra de Strasbourg" [Igorrr, Psygnosis, Grorr, the metal bands on the billboard of Strasbourg Opera]. Le Figaro (in French). Archived from the original on 10 November 2017.
- ^ "Weird band of the Week: Igorrr". The Weirdest Band in the World. 13 June 2012. Archived from the original on 16 May 2017.
- ^ Shepye, Rob (February 21, 2018). "When Words Fail To Describe A Band: Igorrr at the Echoplex". Janky Smooth.
- ^ Dan McHug (June 13, 2017). "INTERVIEW: Gautier Serre – Igorrr". distortedsoundmag.
- ^ Romain (21 September 2017). "Igorrr : La surenchère permet d'aller très loin dans une émotion" [Igorrr: "Overbidding allows you to go very far in an emotion"]. Sourdoreille.net (in French). Archived from the original on 14 October 2017.
- ^ a b Lesprit, Bruno (27 April 2018). "Au Nadir, une soirée dans la forge metal du Printemps de Bourges" [At Nadir, an evening in the metal forge of Printemps de Bourges]. Le Monde (in French).
- ^ Richter, Tobias (8 November 2017). "Review: Igorrr – Breakcore-Cocktails zum Wochenendausklang (29.10.2017, Dresden)" [Review: Igorrr - Breakcore cocktails for the weekend finale (29.10.2017, Dresden)]. Be-Subjective.de (in German).
- ^ Pementel, Michael (17 January 2018). "Scene Report: 8 Great French Metal Bands". Metal Injection. Archived from the original on 22 January 2018.
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- ^ "Igorrr at Trabendo, Paris". Blouin Artinfo. Louise Blouin Media. 20 November 2017. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018.
- ^ Martin, Scott (3 July 2017). "Interview: Gautier Serre of IGORRR". AntiHero Magazine. AntiHero Media LLC. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018.
- ^ "Whourkr - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". metal-archives.com. Archived from the original on 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
- ^ Sampaio, Daniel (11 September 2017). "Igorrr: "A parte mais difícil foi tudo"" [Igorrr: "The hardest part was everything"]. Ruido Sonoro (in Portuguese).
- ^ "Corpo-Mente, by Corpo-Mente". Blood Music. Archived from the original on 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
- ^ "Igorrr & Bong-Ra Collaborate To Create Doom Metal & Breakcore Mash-Up". 6 August 2013. Archived from the original on 28 May 2015.
- ^ a b K., Gavin (29 July 2017). "Igorrr TechFest 2017 Interview". Noizze.co.uk. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ White, Armond (13 April 2018). "Jeannette's Joyful Noise Drowns out the Banality of A Quiet Place". National Review. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018.
- ^ Williams, Blake (26 May 2017). "Cannes Dispatch #3: Jeannette, the Childhood of Joan of Arc; The Florida Project; Good Time". Filmmaker. Independent Filmmaker Project. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017.
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- ^ Guillaume, Tion (5 September 2017). "Pour Igorrr, c'est Domrémy fa sol" [For Igorrr, it's Domrémy fa sol]. Libération (in French). Archived from the original on 10 September 2017.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (20 May 2017). "Bruno Dumont on his new film 'Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc'". Screendaily. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017.
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- ^ Cadoni, Miriam (November 6, 2017). "Laure Le Prunenec – Igorrr".