A new collaboration with Peter Dekker, and there is a lot to tell about!
Preparations
Upcoming "Yvelines" release is a project which actually started rather basic.
After
the "Live at BYSS" performance (2020) and album release (2023) by Däcker (Peter
Dekker) and me, we talked about our next step. In fact we immediately
came up with the idea to do something with a piano - and preferrably a
grand piano - instead of the usual electronics and sythesizers.
Both
Peter and myself are musically schooled, so why not challenge ourselves
to create something 100% played manually? Putting our emotions and state of mind directly into the music. And if we wanted to hear a
sequencer, we had to play it with our hands, instead of pre-programming
it. Indeed also entirely improvised, just like was the case with out
debuting BYSS collaboration. But playing a piano requires a different approach, by means of sound and dynamics, as well as the touch and way of playing and creating on this classical instrument.
When good friend David
Smelik (we are going back for around 25 years) had connection with
someone with a grand piano in his living room, we got the opportunity to
record here, on this wonderful instrument, for a whole day.
At that
point we were still about to 'just' record some sessions on the piano,
complemented with a small amount of electronica. This time, largest part
of the electronica was not to be used as direct sound generators, but
rather as units for the processing and modulating of the piano, and for sound effects. Besides my Korg MS-20 (processing and FX) and Korg
ER-1 (processing and rhythmic FX), we also included Peter's Sequential
Prophet-5 (pads and FX). In this way we were able to create more
contrast with the traditional piano output as well as a more dynamic
atmosphere. Which resulted in the sound we were looking for, and which
inspired our musical output.
When preparing these recordings, the
initial 'simple' project became slightly more ambitious. Then we also brought some percussion tools to play the piano strings, besides playing the
piano keys traditionally. During the sessions Peter also used his door keys,
and David randomly got a drinking glass from the shelves, to affect the
strings.
 |
| Remy, David and Peter. |
Audio recording
Then, when it came to recording, David (who has quite
some knowledge - and owns a lot - of recording equipment, and especially
microphones) suggested to go for the best equipment we could get within
our budget, so we ended up with 2x Neumann U87 (overhead recording of
the piano) and two U67 (for the environment registration) microphones, as well as a
Rupert Neve
5024 pre-amp.
The recordings were made on two Zoom L20's, on 24 bits 96 kHz, to work
with the highest quality option available for us.
That should be
it.
Or not...
Video
David also owns a camera to shoot video in 4K, so as bonus he also filmed a lot of our sessions. Until then, no plans
at all to do something with the footage. But after the audio selection
process (we recorded around 6,5 hours of improvisation), we also noticed
the video recordings added a whole dimension to a part of the selected
audio.
 |
| Video editing. |
So we aimed for an additional DVD. Actually immediately considering a blu-ray option, as everything was filmed in 4K. With the edit we had to crop and zoom footage, so effectively maintaining 4K would not be manageable. Therefore we chose to go for 1080P, which equals Full HD, and which is still very detailed. One of the restrictions for DVD video is 720P, which visually makes a huge difference, and in this case we should have had decreased the quality significantly. Regarding the audio, DVD can handle upto a maximum of 24 bit 48 kHz. Which in fact would have been more than sufficient compared to the 24 bit 96 kHz we recorded, mixed and mastered.
4K blu-ray would have been an option, but really specific as you also need a special player to be able to watch the disc. So then the dilemma came to choose for DVD or regular blu-ray. As stated earlier, we should have done too much consessions regarding the video resolution, when choosing for DVD. With blu-ray another issue came up, as there have to be paid rather high licensing fees for having factory pressed discs. For obvious reasons I am not fond of CD-R's, and also any other -R carrier. But as we were considering small quantities, BD-R actually seemed to be the only realistically affordable option.
The way things have been filmed are in line with how the music was established: completely improvised. So just like the music, it's not perfectly polished, but couldn't have given a better organic impression how things were at that certain moment.
And as a result of working with one camera only, we couldn't avoid having some gaps in between the various shots. And there were indeed parts that weren't useable. To fill the gaps for the main video, but even more important: to create an interesting watching experience and fit it to the conceptual story we had in mind, we decided to shoot additional video on location in a later stage. And on some places we were able to use some b-roll, from the other recorded sessions.
Actually immediately we chose for a black and white video experience, which felt the right thing to do.
The sessionsOn the day before we
were about to record things, David, Peter and I set up all equipment, so we
could directly start the next day. August 5th, 2024, we fine-tuned our
setup and started to play, while everything was being recorded.
While the first recordings were made, the microphone positionings were still about to be adjusted, as any centimeter actually made a huge difference in the sound registration.
When we found the right positioning of the microphones and fine-tuned all recording settings, things evolved during the sessions. The whole process was progressing with the minute, and when we finished the longest session (which was session 7 of the 8 we did, so in fact rather near the very end of the day), we immediately knew this would become the main track for an eventual album release.
Track selection and mixing
For
the final selection, we came to a wonderful storytelling tracklist of
three of the final tracks from our day sessions. As we numbered all of
the sessions, we felt Session 6, followed by the almost one-hour Session
7, and concluding with Session 5 worked best. Initially considering to
swap 5 en 6, or keep everything in chronologically recorded order, would
have resulted into a completely different over-all experience.
Additionally, we had to
decide what we wanted to do with the video footage. So we started to work towards getting all video recordings together, to see what was useful. We
soon concluded that we had to focus on the long seventh session, which in fact was filmed for the largest part (only containing some interruptions to take photos with the same camera), and which
actually tells a story on its own. This 58-minute track was established
as one big improvisational state of mind, and in fact Peter and I
already knew this track should be featured on the release, when the
session was done.
In a few weeks after the recording of the
sessions I made the mixes. The long track needed some more time, and in
January 2025 also this final mix was ready.
Concept
The story actually starts with good friend and fellow musician Dominique Perrier. Together with Roger Rizzitelli, Dominique was initiator of the legendary French band Space Art, which started their successful career in 1977.
 |
| Peter, Remy and Dominique. |
When I visited Raizeux (in the Yvelines region, just outside Paris, where Dominique lived) in
November 2022, there was already been worked on the second Space Art
album to be released on my label. Dominique told about some health
issues which became slightly worse.
The evening of November 29th Michel Geiss came over to Dominique's place, to talk about the new album
and to discuss the mastering of it, which he agreed to do.
I
spoke to Michel various times before, mainly linked to the mastering of recent
Space Art albums, but on this evening it was finally time to meet each
other for the first time.
It was a wonderful - and without getting
emotional, I really experienced a magical - evening, where Michel
shared so much wonderful memories, and both Dominique and Michel seemed
to be frequently touched by their shared history, for a large part
connected
to their precious times with Jean Michel Jarre.
In January 2023, Peter and I visited Paris with
some friends, to attend a concert by Jean Michel Jarre at IRCAM. I
also visited Dominique again, this time together with Peter, to introduce each
other as fellow musicians from my Deserted Island Music record label.
Then, in the summer of 2023, Peter and I planned to visit Paris to visit Dominique again, as well as some other friends, including Michel.
But then, things went slightly different...
A couple of months earlier, Dominique's health issues got worse.
When Peter and I went to visit him in July, he was in the hospital which he did never leave.
Luckily we got to see Dominique there and hand him over "Personaly Duty", which was the second Space Art album about to be released on my label.
During these days we also appointed with Michel Geiss at the wonderful location of Pavillon Henry IV at Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Which became the location to shoot additional video footage, when Peter and I returned here on March 1st and 2nd, 2025.
These encounters became an important part of our "Yvelines" project, being referred to in the main suite of the album.
"Rendez-Vous" as representation of the valuable meetings we had these days.
Besides the directly connected "Saint-Germain-en-Laye", "Chateau de Saint-Germain-en-Laye" and "Pavillon Henry IV", "l'Observateur" and "Anecdotes d'Une Belle Histoire" are linked to Michel and his wonderful stories of the past. While "Réalité en Temps Réel" as well as the opener "La Vie à Raizeux" en final track "Un Dernier Adieu à Rambouillet" are direct references to Dominique.
Dominique passed away on October 4th, 2023.
Peter and I went back to
Rambouillet to attend the farewell ceremony on October 12th.
And this also is the part where our "Yvelines" project ends.
"Yvelines" is dedicated to Dominique Perrier.
Mastering
With the concept we had in mind, we asked Michel Geiss to master our project. Which he was willing to do! As we definitely wanted to maintain all dynamics, Michel took note of our instructions, and managed to improve the mixes I made. I really love his master, which is still very close to my final mix.
 |
| 5.1 Session at Audiochef. |
5.1 Surround
When getting involved into the blu-ray process, and having the opportunity to do something with the sound experience, we got in touch with Misja van Waterschoot. Misja and I know each other for quite some years, although we never had intensive contact. Besides his musical activities as Meesha, he is part of the Audiochef team, has his own studio in Hilversum, and has sound engineering experience for over 30 years.
The idea was to create a 5.1 surround mix as option for the blu-ray video. Which had to be done from Michel's 2.0 master, expanding it with the seperate environment recordings, and creating a spatial environment with the electronica multitracks. Simply because we didn't record the audio as 5.1, as this was not our initial intention. In the end, it was our artistic choice to do it this way, which worked out very well in my opinion.
So standard you will be listening to the 2.0 master when watching the blu-ray video (and indeed the CD), having a menu option to listen on 5.1 equipment.
As mentioned before, there has been recorded a lot of audio and video footage. To give insight in the recording process, and to get a taste of the atmosphere, for both the sessions as on location, we also felt the need to compile some of this footage as blu-ray bonus. Consisting of raw unmastered audio, and in colors instead of black of white of the main video, complemented with a valuable selection of photos.
For the largest part there are featured outtakes from other sessions which didn't appear on the final album selection.
Try-out at the Pletterij
Peter and I had our first try-out for the concept of "Yvelines" live on stage during "De Keuken" mini-festival at the Pletterij in Haarlem, September 15th, 2025. It was just a short performance (30 minutes) and although we used the concept and some elements from the album, it became a standalone performance with a rather different content and feel.
Watch the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/jIDinKASfSY?si=bLg_DL-p0YYLuI0MOur part starts around the 19 minutes mark.
Album release
"Yvelines" will be available on CD and as digital download. And be sure to grab the limited edition CD with Blu-ray if you want the complete experience.
Album info and pre-ordering:
https://www.desertedislandmusic.nl/product/remy-dacker-yvelines/
Promo video:
https://youtu.be/ezvJU2rA4dI
Album presentation concert
In first instance we scheduled an album presentation concert at De Vioolkist in Hilversum, on April 10th, 2026.
Very unfortunate this event had to be cancelled due to poor ticket sales.
We had a nice amount of people who bought a ticket to join Peter Dekker and me this Friday, but unfortunately it's not enough to cover the costs of the venue. Funding the financial gap ourselves would have been too costly.
Everyone who bought a ticket, should get refund from the venue shortly. Sorry for the inconvenience, but thanks so much for your valuable support!
The good news is that we have been working hard to get fixed an alternative to properly promote our upcoming "Yvelines" project. Accessible for everyone, starting on the same (20:00 CET) time as originally scheduled event.
So in fact the album presentation will take place, but is going to be converted to a virtual event!
Check the Facebook event for the stream and any updates:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1261087879286631/Update 11-5-2026
Our Facebook performance from April 10th could be viewed until one month after the stream took place. But we have edited the video and archived it on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/vSuyKPnywFM?si=bV8jm-NIMZi78-PS
Some final words...
In the end "Yvelines" should definitely been seen as over-all experience and something that was established during a state-of-mind improvisation. And it could easily be that the things you hear on this album have to grow on you. Which I definitely like myself, as you have to dig into the music and absorb it, rather than consuming it fast and superficial.
And although you should be able to freely interpret the music of "Yvelines", I think it's a valuable addition to watch the video of Peter and me creating the things to be heard, supplemented with conceptual video to get involved into our story.
Press information
For completion, here is the story to be found in the booklet and official press information:
The
story behind this project is linked to some special meetings in the
Yvelines region, just outside Paris, in the summer of 2023.
Two
years after we started our electronica collaboration in 2020, which led
to the “Live at BYSS” performance and its release, we played with the
idea of recording a piano album. Things started to take shape when we
got the opportunity to record a beautiful Steinberg (not to be confused
with Steinway) grand piano from the early 20th century. The fact that
the piano had not been tuned recently gave it even more character and
charm.
We decided to also involve some synthesizers to partially
process and modulate the live piano parts and to add extra contrast and
atmosphere. Additionally, we used a violin bow and some percussion
tools. In the end it became a balanced whole so that you are not just listening to a piano.
What
you hear on this registration is completely based on improvisation and
our state of mind during the sessions we recorded on August 5, 2024. For
this reason we decided to have only the one-day recording sessions, as
additional days would have resulted in completely different output.
For
this album release, parts were selected and edited from the more than
six hours of music we recorded. We aimed for an honest and organic
impression of how things were performed, maintaining dynamics and
keeping mistakes, mis-hits and even ambient sounds, resulting in this
listening experience that we would like to share with you!
Remy Stroomer and Peter DekkerThree
parts from the extensive recorded material were selected, and Remy
mixed these recordings. The legendary Michel Geiss took care of the
audio mastering of the project. Parts of the recording sessions were
filmed by David Smelik, who also participated on one part of the
“Rendez-Vous” piece. Early March, 2025, Peter and Remy travelled to the
Yvelines region again to shoot additional video recordings on location.
The video edit combining both the session and environmental recordings
has been edited by both David and Remy. Additionally, Audiochef’s Misja
van Waterschoot made a 5.1 audio mix for the blu-ray video.
Because
the album’s longest improvisation, “Rendez-Vous,” tells a story in
itself, it was selected for a Blu-ray release. Supplemented with
outtakes from other recorded segments, this resulted in a “Behind the
Scenes” clip as bonus material on the Blu-ray.
“Yvelines” is
available on CD and as digital download, containing a three pieces
selection. As well as limited edition set with this CD and the Blu-ray,
containing “Rendez-Vous” and “Behind the Scenes”.
REMYRemy
Stroomer (1979) produces his electronic music since 1999. So far, he
released 13 studio albums, did various concerts in the Netherlands,
Germany and the U.K., and collaborated with a large number of artists
from the electronic music scene, including Space Art, Ron Boots, Wolfram
Spyra, Gert Emmens, Francis Rimbert, Synth.nl, Moonbooter, Bas
Broekhuis and My Breath My Music.
Remy is also involved in the improvisational act Mäläskä.
With
his Deserted Island Music record label he releases his own music, as
well as music from Mäläska, Däcker, Space Art, Feralia Planitia, Basic
Principles, Martijn Comes and Edith Alonso.
DÄCKER
Peter
Dekker (1973) owns more than 70 electronic music instruments, with
which he composed and recorded an uncountable amount of music. It takes
until 2020 before he releases “Pareidolia”. With this debut album, Peter
wins the first prize in the category ‘Discovery of 2020’ at the German
Schallwelle Awards, gains recognition for his music, receives worldwide
airplay and reviews, and performs solo as well as with others (including
Skoulaman, Mäläskä and Steve Baltes) in the Netherlands, Germany and
the U.K.
.jpg)
