unsupervised random source of certainty
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artist @ CHLOE (Thévenin)
album @ Shape Of The Unknown
genre @ Electronic
year @ 2026
rec. label @ Lumière Noire Records
catalog # @ LN050D
num tracks @ 14
size in mb @ 141.32
duration @ 01:01:32
pre date @ 2026-10-29
audio
encoder @ LAME 3.100.0+ (-b 320)
codec @ MPEG 1 Layer 3
source @ WEB FLAC
quality @ MP3 320kbps/CBR/Stereo/44.1kHz
url https://tidal.com/browse/album/571806927
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01 Undertow 2:38
02 Half Gravity 4:56
03 Shapeshifter 4:11
04 As If 1:51
05 Bright On 5:41
06 CHLOE (Thevenin) & Ben Shemie - More Than Just One Feeling 5:17
07 Inner Bass 7:03
08 Silent Drive 3:23
09 CHLOE (Thevenin) & Olivia Merilahti - Twyr 3:55
10 Drifter 3:43
11 CHLOE (Thevenin) & Miss Kittin - Same Kind 4:55
12 Repeating The Obvious 5:08
13 Falling Beyond 5:03
14 Infinite Curve 3:48
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'Shape of the Unknown' is kind of a double LP that fully embraces
the idea of exploration. It is CHLOE's most expansive and immersive
work to date. 'Shape of the Unknown' is CHLOE's fourth proper
studio album. Its predecessor, 'Endless Revisions', was released in
2017. Nine years have passed. Nine years during which CHLOE has
continued digging for music, DJing at internationally renowned
clubs and festivals including Rex Club, Robert Johnson, Panorama
Bar, Nuits Sonores, Glastonbury and many more, releasing EPs and
remixes, while also allowing herself the time to explore entirely
new creative paths.
The challenge is to capture the unknown, make it her own, endlessly
reshape its textures, and ultimately preserve its mystery.
The first single 'Drifter', released back in June, already offered
a striking glimpse of the sonic territories the album would venture
into, driven by its hypnotically contoured basslines. The album's
two other singles offer different windows into her world.
'Shapeshifter' captures CHLOE at her most hypnotic, balancing
stripped-back techno and melodic house through deep rolling
grooves, expansive bass chords and subtle rhythmic shifts that
constantly reshape the listener's perception without ever
disrupting the flow. Later, 'Repeating The Obvious' takes a more
leftfield route, pairing staggered rhythms with retro-inspired
harmonics and an understated indie dance pulse that feels
simultaneously familiar and unpredictable.
CHLOE has ventured into live performance through new formats,
notably alongside percussionist Vassilena Serafimova; immersed
herself in film scoring with soundtracks for Paris la Blanche,
Arthur Rambo, The Mountain, Blanquita, Guru and Unsubmissives; and
developed compelling collaborations, from High Season, her project
with Ben Shemie of Canadian band Suuns (which resulted in the album
The Call), to her own organic, experimental audiovisual
performances under the name Slo/Mo AV.
Throughout Shape of the Unknown, CHLOE blurs the boundaries between
deep house, hypnotic techno, electronica and cinematic sound design
with remarkable fluidity. The album unfolds as a continuous
narrative rather than a sequence of tracks, moving effortlessly
between beatless ambient passages, rolling analogue grooves and
emotionally charged club music. Organic percussion, sweeping bass
movements, melancholic harmonies and richly textured synthesisers
create a body of work that constantly evolves, where no section
feels static and every transition reveals another layer of depth.
There is an unmistakable warmth running through the record, with
grainy analogue textures and spacious production giving even its
most driving moments an intimate, almost tactile quality.
The album's title is no coincidence. It evokes a form that has yet
to be named, something language itself struggles to grasp. CHLOE
approaches it through an organic creative process. Each piece must
first be performed in the studio, almost as if it were being played
live. The album will be followed by a series of live performances
and DJ sets, including a show at the Olympia on March 18, 2027.
She is joined by a handful of steadfast collaborators. Jazz
trumpeter David Enhco appears on two tracks, 'Undertow' and 'Inner
Bass'. But above all, there are the voices: Ben Shemie lends his
unmistakable presence to the radiant 'More Than Just a Feeling'.
Olivia Merilahti, singer, songwriter and one half of The Do,
appears on the otherworldly 'TWYR'. Working with Olivia's already
hypnotic voice, CHLOE has approached it like a sculptor, enhancing
its strangeness and dreamlike quality.
And finally, impossible to miss is the instantly recognizable voice
of Kittin. A longtime accomplice, she lends her distinctive
phrasing to CHLOE's music here for the very first time. The
strongest collaborations are often those that take their time,
arriving only when the moment is right. Same kind, same bass, same
vibe, same pride.
The result is an enigmatic, nocturnal record, drifting between
introspective listening and dancefloor functionality, revealing an
artist who remains far more interested in atmosphere, movement and
emotional storytelling than conventional club structures. It is an
album that invites us to dream more deeply and to dance again, both
within ourselves and out in the open.
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