Rythmatix Spotlight: CloZee

by Bryn Morgan

We were beyond excited to collaborate with the unstoppable CloZee on her first run of merch ahead of her EVASION tour. To top it off, we got to ask the Toulouse, France-based producer a few questions about her inspiration, creative process and penchant for collaborating with artists of many mediums. Read on and visit her newly launched online shop to pick up the CloZee x Rythmatix collab! 

[CloZee x Rythmatix collaboration. Original logo by Lulu Swallow.]

Rythmatix:The intersection of digital and organic is central to your music and image as CloZee. I really vibe with this, since Rythmatix was built on the pairing of geometric and organic. How do these forces influence your art and the way you understand the world?

CloZee: Organic sounds are what we know and recognize: they ground us, make us vibrate, they can be associated to images. The Electronic sounds are the unknown: we don’t know what they look like, they are abstract, they are good for the imagination (we create our own perception of them). I love the combination of both because it invites the listener to create their own worlds in their head when they dive into the music.

[CloZee at Oregon Eclipse.]

On a related note, you’re classically trained and I saw that you’re bringing your Taylor on your upcoming Evasion tour. What's your experience been like integrating more traditional instruments into the electronic scene? Do you ever get pushback?

I’m excited to bring it for the first time in America, and for an entire Tour. When I was on Tour for so long with just my machines, DJ gear, I missed that special connection you have when you play an organic instrument. The guitar also made my start producing music, so I’m glad I can now bring it back in my live setup. 

[CloZee and her beloved Taylor guitar at Red Rocks.]

I read that you were excited to work on the soundtrack for the video game Forest of Liars because its Miyazaki- like natural setting matches your influences. As a huge Miyazaki fan, I’d love to hear a little more about that. How did the game’s artwork inspire your music?

The inspiration to create ‘Forest Of Liars’’s Soundtrack is coming very naturally. The artworks (by Tohad) are just the perfect atmosphere to be inspired. It is taking place in the forest, it’s mystic, mysterious, and the different « worlds » are inspired by many different cultures, architectures, civilizations. The Japanese culture and nature influenced the visuals of this game, just like it always has inspired my music (as you can hear in ‘Koto’, ‘Inner Peace' or 'Secret Place’). 

[CloZee rocking some Japanese swag at Bonnaroo.]

I’ve been inspired by how much you collaborate with other artists, from fine artists like Lulu Swallow who create your album art to a wide variety of musicians. Can you speak to the creative process of collaborating with another artist? I’m especially interested in how you work with Lulu, since her work seems to translate your sound to visual art so impeccably.