“I really wanted to become the pianist of French rap, to become the standard in that area, and play with a phrasing which has richer harmonies, more varied than they are in rap.” So says Sofiane Pamart, an artist from the suburbs of Lille, where he created a rap group, Rhapsodie, which featured piano at its core. He then went on to work with Kerry James, Médine, Grand Corps Malade and the Belgian rapper Scylla. It therefore does not come as a surprise that his first solo album asks the essential question: how do you combine popular and elitist culture? Inspired by 12 different urban and natural landscapes, the pianist has composed pieces with profound, touching meaning, all while being written and performed with sophistication. Planet opens with La Havane, a sensual waltz which shows that Pamart is interested in keeping an eye on the world of dance and that area of popularity. The following tracks are overall fairly romantic, like Le Caire, which reminds us slightly of the ambiance which Francis “Love Story” Lai thrillingly evoked with his score music. Film music composers are indeed never far from our thoughts when listening to this album, especially Beau-Père’s Philippe Sarde with Chicago. Bora Bora and Nagasaki are more intimate and impressionist, more seductive with their harrowing level of melancholy. And in the same way George Bizet composed Carmen despite never setting foot in Spain, Sofiane Pamart lets his imagination create melodies and harmonies corresponding to certain places he hasn’t been to either (Alaska). This airy album is also an opportunity for Pamart to pay homage to his nomadic Berber origins; just like them, he is enchanted by the freedom of travelling. © Nicolas Magenham/Qobuz