The Avener’s new house in Nice, built off the back of the success of his debut, was the setting in which he put the finishing touches to this second record Heaven. It’s a sophomore offering with A-List features that are somewhat unexpected, like Terry Callier and Bob Dylan. While the former’s work has already been requisitioned by the electronic community (who can forget the remix of Love Theme From Spartacus by Zero 7), the latter seemed implacably impermeable to the genre. However, it was Dylan himself who let it be known that he would not be opposed to a remix by The Avener. The Southern Frenchman thus went full steam ahead with reworking the classic Masters of War, but didn’t completely transform it and certainly didn’t lay down a big house beat on it. “I beefed up and modernised the production because it’s a guitar/voice track. I sent an initial demo and he said he liked it. I finished it off, he liked it and sent me an approval email.”
Beyond these two tracks, The Avener has also invited singer Ayo for an R&B interlude on Worried About You and Phoebe Killdeer for a rework of A Better Man, whereas Danish singer M.I.L.K. features on two songs that sit somewhere between French Touch and sunshine pop (Mute Your Mind and Under the Waterfalls), completing an album that highlights its creator’s open-mindedness. © Smaël Bouaici/Qobuz