After dropping out from an architecture course at college, Olivier moved to London. Initially working under the name ‘Hearing Is Our Concern’, he was actually the first person the newly-founded FatCat label ever received a demo from, although nothing came of this at the time, as Olivier wanted to do further work on his tracks. The name was changed to Ensemble and a chance meeting with Rephlex Records in 2000 resulted in the release of his first album, ‘Sketch Proposals’.
While not widely released, ‘Sketch Proposals’ did gain a small, dedicated audience, not least of which included Bjork, who had the album on heavy rotation while working on her 2001 album ‘Vespertine’. We put Olivier in touch with her and in 2002, Ensemble’s remixes of Bjork’s ‘Sun In My Mouth’ and ‘Cocoon’ were released as b-sides. Their collaborative relationship eventually led to Olivier’s co-writing of the song ‘Desired Constellation’ on Bjork’s 2004 album ‘Medulla’, and still more remixes on the ‘Triumph of a Heart’ single.
Around this time, Olivier continued work on a follow-up to ‘Sketch Proposals’, aiming to collide symphonic walls-of-sound with intimate folk-pop vocal pieces. Recorded over a period of 3 years, and composed mainly in Montreal, where he now resides, Olivier traveled from Canada, to Atlanta, then to a countryside farm in French Dordogne, and finally to Berlin for his recordings, with each disparate environment absorbed into the moods of each track. Expanding on his collaborative spirit, 2006’s new album (‘Ensemble’) features beautiful vocal performances by Chan Marshall (Cat Power), Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr.) and UK-based Mileece, as well as drums by Adam Pierce from Mice Parade and orchestral arrangements by Johannes Malfatti, performed by the Babelsberg Film Orchestra in Germany.
Additionally, Olivier remixed the b-side track, ‘That Summer, At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy’, on The Twilight Sad’s single ‘And She Would Darken The Memory’, released in July 2007.
Olivier has also composed music for several exhibitions at the V&A museum; contributed to an Audio-Video installation by Doug Aitken at the Centre Georges Pompidou; and received an honorary mention at the Ars Electronica Festival for his noise side project, Chlorgeschlecht. He has also provided the soundtrack for the 2008 film 'Up The Yangtze', directed by Yung Chang.
Ensemble's newest album - 'Excerpts' - was released in January 2011. A beautiful, sophisticated record of orchestrated pop songs on the theme of fictional and false memories, the album features collaborators Johannes Malfatti (himself an award-winning theatre / film composer) and vocalist Darcy Conroy.
Tonight
Ensemble Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's go away
For a sunday treat
Just a moment
We can use a break
Have a beer
Pick a cake
Stay here all night long
Get all tipsy
In this corner of Sol Town
cnother day
We hit replay
On the same things
But we are here now
Have a Sunday's Best
Get ready
For our show
Grab a drink
Take a seat
It's quite a crowd
Let the night begin
In this moment
Have the time of our lives
Pick a song
We can sing
cnd dance around
Let us paint the town
In this moment
Let's have the time of our lives
cnother day
We hit replay
On the same things
But we are here now
You are here now
Together now
Have a Sunday's Best
In "Can You Feel The Love Tonight," from the musical The Lion King, the character Simba falls in love with Nala. The lyrics describe the magical feeling of being in love and how it makes everything else disappear. The first verse describes a moment of calm surrender to the rush of day, when the heat of a rolling wave can be turned away. This represents the power of love to overcome obstacles and make everything else fade away.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of being in the present moment, with the one you love. It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you, and we are reminded that we've come far together. The second verse suggests that there is a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors, and that the twisting kaleidoscope of life moves us all in turn. This speaks to the idea that even though life can be chaotic, love gives us a sense of order and meaning.
The final chorus repeats the idea that the love between the two characters is enough to make kings and vagabonds believe in the very best. This suggests that love has the power to transcend social class and other boundaries. Overall, the song portrays the transformative power of love and its ability to bring us into the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a calm surrender
In the midst of chaos and busyness, there's a peaceful resignation to the present moment.
To the rush of day
To the frenetic pace of everyday life.
When the heat of a rolling wave
When the intensity of a challenging situation.
Can be turned away
Can be avoided or overcome.
An enchanted moment
A magical and extraordinary experience.
And it sees me through
And it helps me get through difficult times.
It's enough for this restless warrior
It's sufficient for someone who is always looking for the next adventure or challenge.
Just to be with you
Just to spend time in your company.
And can you feel the love tonight?
And do you sense the romantic feeling between us tonight?
It is where we are
It's the location of the present moment.
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
It's adequate for someone who is constantly exploring and seeking.
That we've got this far
That we've come so far in our journey together.
How it's laid to rest?
How does the romantic feeling dissipate?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
It's sufficient to inspire greatness in both the rich and the poor.
Believe the very best
To believe in the best possible outcome.
There's a time for everyone
There's a perfect moment for each person.
If they only learn
If they only discover or realize.
That the twisting kaleidoscope
That the unpredictable and ever-changing nature of life.
Moves us all in turn
Affects and influences everyone in some way.
There's a rhyme and reason
There's a logical explanation and purpose behind everything.
To the wild outdoors
To the untamed and natural world.
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
When the soul of this destined traveler.
Beats in time with yours
Beats in harmony with your own soul.
And can you feel the love tonight? (Tonight)
And do you sense the romantic feeling between us tonight?
It is where we are
It's the location of the present moment.
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
It's adequate for someone who is constantly exploring and seeking.
That we've got this far
That we've come so far in our journey together.
How it's laid to rest?
How does the romantic feeling dissipate?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
It's sufficient to inspire greatness in both the rich and the poor.
Believe the very best
To believe in the best possible outcome.
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
It's sufficient to inspire greatness in both the rich and the poor.
Believe the very best
To believe in the best possible outcome.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind