Benoit Pioulard
Encyclopedia
Thomas Meluch is an American
singer-songwriter
, multi-instrumentalist
, writer
, and photographer, best known by his pseudonym
Benoît Pioulard.
and cassette
releases of his experimental, folk
-influenced songs for friends and family.
His first recordings as Benoît Pioulard appeared on the Random Number...Colors Start compilation released by the Ann Arbor-based Moodgadget
label in 2004. After 2005's Enge
EP Meluch was signed to Chicago
's Kranky
imprint, for whom he recorded the albums Précis
(2006) and Temper (2008).
Meluch lives in Portland, Oregon.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and photographer, best known by his pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Benoît Pioulard.
Biography
Meluch began documenting field recordings and his own lo-fi compositions on dictaphones, discarded stereos and four-track machines in the mid 1990s, later focusing on highly limited CD-RCD-R
A CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
and cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
releases of his experimental, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
-influenced songs for friends and family.
His first recordings as Benoît Pioulard appeared on the Random Number...Colors Start compilation released by the Ann Arbor-based Moodgadget
Moodgadget
Moodgadget is an independent electronic music label, founded in 2004 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Jakub Marek Alexander and Adam E. Hunt, with the mission statement "Exposing the diversity in electronically made music." They started the label with the goal of popularizing their opinion that electronic...
label in 2004. After 2005's Enge
Enge (EP)
Enge is an EP by Benoit Pioulard, released in 2005 by Moodgadget. It was pressed on clear 7" vinyl, and limited to only 300 copies.-Critical Reaction:-Track listing:#Pinconning - 3:05#Kids are getting younger - 2:48#Es/sa - 3:09...
EP Meluch was signed to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's Kranky
Kranky Records
Kranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
imprint, for whom he recorded the albums Précis
Précis (album)
Précis is the debut full-length album by Portland, Oregon based musician Benoit Pioulard, released by Kranky on October 16, 2006.- Background :Before the release of this album, Pioulard already had a fairly substantial discography...
(2006) and Temper (2008).
Meluch lives in Portland, Oregon.
Solo
- Blurred CD-R (self-released, 2001)
- Clear CD-R (self-released, 2001)
- Skymost CD-R (self-released, 2003)
- EngeEnge (EP)Enge is an EP by Benoit Pioulard, released in 2005 by Moodgadget. It was pressed on clear 7" vinyl, and limited to only 300 copies.-Critical Reaction:-Track listing:#Pinconning - 3:05#Kids are getting younger - 2:48#Es/sa - 3:09...
7" EP (MoodgadgetMoodgadgetMoodgadget is an independent electronic music label, founded in 2004 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Jakub Marek Alexander and Adam E. Hunt, with the mission statement "Exposing the diversity in electronically made music." They started the label with the goal of popularizing their opinion that electronic...
, 2005) - Dakota / Housecoat CD-R (self-released, 2006)
- PrécisPrécis (album)Précis is the debut full-length album by Portland, Oregon based musician Benoit Pioulard, released by Kranky on October 16, 2006.- Background :Before the release of this album, Pioulard already had a fairly substantial discography...
CD (KrankyKranky RecordsKranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
, 2006) - Fir 7" EP (Type, 2007)
- TemperTemper (album)Temper is the second full-length album by Portland-based musician Benoit Pioulard, released by Kranky on October 14, 2008.-Hand-made version:...
LP (KrankyKranky RecordsKranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
, 2008) - Lee 7" (Hall Of Owls, 2008)
- Flocks 7" (Blue Flea, 2009)
- LastedLasted (album)Lasted is the third full-length album by Portland-based musician Benoit Pioulard, released by Kranky Records on October 4, 2010.-Hand-made version:...
LP (KrankyKranky RecordsKranky is an independent record label, located in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1993 by Bruce Adams and Joel Leoschke.The bands it houses are noted for combining experimental and often electronic influences with elements of more traditional rock structures, and many of the artists on Kranky...
, 2010) - Plays... Thelma EP (Desired Path Recordings, 2011)
Appears On
- Random Number...Colors Start (MoodgadgetMoodgadgetMoodgadget is an independent electronic music label, founded in 2004 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Jakub Marek Alexander and Adam E. Hunt, with the mission statement "Exposing the diversity in electronically made music." They started the label with the goal of popularizing their opinion that electronic...
, 2004) - Idol Tryouts 2 (Ghostly International, 2006)
- The Rorschach Suite (MoodgadgetMoodgadgetMoodgadget is an independent electronic music label, founded in 2004 in Ann Arbor, Michigan by Jakub Marek Alexander and Adam E. Hunt, with the mission statement "Exposing the diversity in electronically made music." They started the label with the goal of popularizing their opinion that electronic...
, 2006)