A fascinating combination of acoustic sounds pressed through electronic filters, “Acoustic Electronica” is a debut album by The Court At Versailles. Performed by a jazz trio and produced by Eric Palmquist (Billie Eilish, Tate McRae, among others), this collection of EDM-anthems-turned-acoustic-interpretations blows minds. With their renditions of tracks such as “Come On My Selector” (Squarepusher) or “Strobe” (Deadmau5), CAV deliver an alternative timeline in the alternate universe of electronic dance music.
This purely organic re-invention, re-imagination of EDM’s milestones works surprisingly well in the eco-friendly setting of unplugged instruments. And real humans putting all their creativity, and their energy, into the performance. While it was most likely not meant as a voice in the human-versus-AI discussion, it fits into it perfectly, showcasing the human ability to create originality out of thin air.
Having been obsessed with “Acoustic Electronica” for a while now, I have invited the project’s producer, Eric Palmquist, for a conversation about the origins of the idea which resulted in one of the most fascinating albums I have heard this year so far.
BARTEK: Your Spotify bio states that you reimagine “electronic music through an acoustic lens.” Where did this idea come from?
ERIC PALMQUIST: Joel and I have been friends since early college. Repeatedly we would talk about what it would be like to have a jazz trio play some of our favorite songs from the EDM world. The more we would talk about it the more we thought it would be fun to not treat it like a standard jazz recording. But, like, treat it in a similar fashion to most of the other records I make in the Alt-Pop world where I’m not trying to document a performance but rather enhance a performance with effects and points of sonic interest. Hopefully striking a balance between bringing the recording to a little bit of a surreal place while honoring the performances themselves.
For your first album you mainly targeted genres of techno and EDM. Did you find this choice limiting or inspiring?
Very inspiring, no doubt! I love techno, EDM, ambient music and it has heavily influenced every genre from rap to pop, hard rock, jazz and classical. I think there are real ties to early jazz and how it itself was originally dance music. And the idea of having music that the body knows how to feel before the brain is consciously engaged is incredible. With the players we have we create that and also bring the depth and soul of human performance. There is enough depth that if the listener starts engaging with the music more frequently they can peel back the layers. Or not, and just enjoy.
What other electronic genres would you like to reimagine in the future?
Who knows, but we named the album Acoustic Electronica because we wanted to really claim that phrase / slogan / genre as what we do. There’s a whole world of ideas for us to explore within this. And in this album, we explored, House, Ambient, Drill & Bass, Dubstep. Some we knew we could pull off, others we were almost testing out limits. The genre within electronic music isn’t so much why we picked the tracks but rather if we love the songs and think it would all add up to a great listen.
Do you plan to produce vocal tracks for your future albums?
Yes, we are discussing having vocals on tracks. While another album of covers will be in our future, the next album is going to be originals, or maybe it’ll be a mix — who knows. But we are certainly going to experiment with some vocals.
What is the story behind the name of your band?
So much electronic music is made and enjoyed in Europe, and we wanted a name that evokes the old world. Picture the actual court at Versailles: powdered wigs, silk, all dressed up… at a rave. Dukes and duchesses losing their minds to a Deadmau5 drop. That collision is funny to us, and it’s kind of exactly what this project is, the elegance and precision of that world colliding head-on with the sweat and bass of the dance floor.
Could you briefly introduce the band members and talk about the creation of The Court At Versailles?
I can’t believe the players I’m getting to work with on this project, they are the best of the best! Joel really formed the group, and knew Sam and John from previous gigs.
Joel Pierson, my cohort, is a pianist and composer based in Mexico, known for fusing classical composition with irreverent genre-bending. He is the Artistic Director and composer for The Queen’s Cartoonists, and has brought animated films to life on stages ranging from the Blue Note in New York to Konzerthaus Berlin, SFJAZZ, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. His work has earned praise for its wit, precision, and inventiveness.
Sam Minaie, on upright bass, is a sought-after New York-based musician who has toured internationally with acclaimed pianist Tigran Hamasyan for over a decade. Known for his rhythmic agility and melodic sensitivity, Minaie bridges jazz tradition with forward-thinking improvisation.
John Hadfield, a drummer and percussionist based in Paris, is celebrated for his genre-spanning versatility. A longtime member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, a contributor to the Saturday Night Live Band, and most recently touring with St. Vincent, Hadfield has also performed with artists ranging from Kinan Azmeh to Nguyen Le, bringing a global perspective and dynamic rhythmic palette to the ensemble.
I’m (Eric Palmquist) a producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. I’ve had the pleasure to write, produce, engineer, and mix for platinum-selling and Grammy-winning artists including Billie Eilish, Tate McRae, Bad Suns, Half•Alive, Thrice, and members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
How did you select your track list for “Acoustic Electronica”?
This whole first album, “Acoustic Electronica”, was made up of songs that we felt were important touchstones of EDM in general. We had to find the songs that had enough melodic interest that Joel could really have a vision of how he could translate it on piano. So, while there were a lot of songs tossed around, we couldn’t be happier with how this all came together.
Do you play these tracks live? I imagine that this could be quite demanding, physically speaking?
Not yet, but we’re working on it! Joel, Sam and John are the best in the world, so it will certainly be demanding but they’ve got this. On the technical side, we are working through the best way to present this. As I was working on the production of this album, I was working in a loop mindset and thinking about how this could be presented live. That led me to decisions like keeping the filters, modulation, or distortion mixed in at only about 50%. We’re not purists, at the end of the day the goal was to make the best listening experience for these recordings — but that 50% rule holds true about 98% of the time. I’m working on a system now where I can have access to the piano, bass, and drums to build effects, make loops and samples, and manipulate them in real time while all those sounds are going out to the main house system as well.
What type of music, other than jazz, have you found inspiring over the years?
This album is a great playlist of artists we’re inspired by, but I listen to a lot of pop, R&B, Americana, and rock, too. A few records that never leave rotation: “Full Moon Fever” by Tom Petty, “Future Nostalgia” by Dua Lipa, and “Never Enough” by Turnstile. Some of Joel’s top picks are “Singularity” by Jon Hopkins, “Azul” by Osvaldo Golijov , and “Vespertine” by Björk.
Now that “Acoustic Electronica” is out, what type of emotions would you like your audience to experience while listening to it?
JOEL: We’d love for people to feel the energy of a live ensemble playing this music. Jazz musicians love to interpret great music, so that’s what we’re doing.
ERIC: A great album is like a great movie in that it takes the listener on a journey through different emotions. I hope listeners feel welcomed in by our first track, “A Walk” — Tycho’s melodies are optimistic and beautiful while the rhythm pumps the blood. “Rez/Cowgirl” is a fun, body-moving, euphoric track. Then the listener gets hit with the espresso shot that is “Come On My Selector” before resting in the cool waters of “Light Through the Veins.” And on it goes.
Finally, what are your next steps in terms of the album promotion and live shows?
We look forward to continuing to promote this album — we’re pushing for possible placements in film, radio, and playlists, and continuing to build the possibilities for live performances and hopefully some live taping sessions. CDs are arriving shortly, and a few months from now, a vinyl pressing. We made the dream of this project a reality and we’re so excited for everyone to hear it.
Photos: Provided by Eric Palmquist
Very cool write up!