Castor et compagnie: Si tu le veux
Joane Hétu / Castor et compagnie
… full of funny twists and arrangements with sensitive and expressive vocals and playing. It’s intimate atmosphere and drama is not to be missed. — Vital, Netherlands
Love songs • naughty songs • magical songs • improvised songs.
Words as clever as the music they’re set to.
Joane Hétu teams up again with her long-time accomplices Jean Derome, Diane Labrosse, Pierre Tanguay and new member Pierre-Yves Martel to revive her project Castor et Compagnie, a quintet offering new love songs: those of mistresses and their lovers; words as old as the world set to brand new music.
These songs appealing to our senses are titillating love games played by musicians who certainly are not “short for words”…
Castor et Compagnie inhabits different sonic universes and mixes with gusto noise and improv, intermingling erotic poetry and love songs. Castor et Compagnie is music set to love poetry and intimate texts unafraid of pure music. It is also five musicians relentlessly looking for the poetic cry and fiery words. Castor et Compagnie is Joane Hétu inviting you to a languorous and sensual reverie with their third album entitled Si tu le veux.
- Composer(s): Joane Hétu
- Writer(s): Joane Hétu
- Performer(s): Castor et compagnie, Joane Hétu, Jean Derome, Diane Labrosse, Pierre Tanguay, Pierre-Yves Martel
- Graphic design: Frédérique Laliberté
- Mastering: Paul Dolden
- Canada Council for the Arts • SODEC
CD (AM 250)
- 1Dans la joie l’amour (1998), 6:26Joane Hétu, voice, alto saxophone, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics, voice; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, keyboard, objects, voice; Pierre Tanguay, drum set, voice
- 2Me dépouillant (2018), 5:36Joane Hétu, voice, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, keyboard, flute, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 3On va s’la couler (2018), 3:44Joane Hétu, voice, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, keyboard, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 4Si tu le veux (2018), 5:37Joane Hétu, voice; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 5Sous la couverture (2018), 2:30Joane Hétu, voice; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 6J’y fouille (2018), 7:47Joane Hétu, voice, alto saxophone; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, alto saxophone, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set, voice
- 7Tu m’dis ça (2018), 5:12Joane Hétu, voice, alto saxophone, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics, voice; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 8Confier sa nudité (2001), 4:49Joane Hétu, voice; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, keyboard, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 9Vos caresses (2018), 4:22Joane Hétu, voice, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 10Manier ta manière (2018), 5:36Joane Hétu, voice; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set, voice
- Label: Ambiances Magnétiques
- AM 250
- 2020
- UCC 771028125029
- Total duration: 52:30
- Sympathique case
- 126 mm × 126 mm × 5 mm
- 35 g
On the web
Download (AM 250_NUM)
- 1Dans la joie l’amour (1998), 6:26Joane Hétu, voice, alto saxophone, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics, voice; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, keyboard, objects, voice; Pierre Tanguay, drum set, voice
- 2Me dépouillant (2018), 5:36Joane Hétu, voice, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, keyboard, flute, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 3On va s’la couler (2018), 3:44Joane Hétu, voice, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, keyboard, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 4Si tu le veux (2018), 5:37Joane Hétu, voice; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 5Sous la couverture (2018), 2:30Joane Hétu, voice; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 6J’y fouille (2018), 7:47Joane Hétu, voice, alto saxophone; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, alto saxophone, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set, voice
- 7Tu m’dis ça (2018), 5:12Joane Hétu, voice, alto saxophone, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics, voice; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 8Confier sa nudité (2001), 4:49Joane Hétu, voice; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass; Jean Derome, keyboard, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 9Vos caresses (2018), 4:22Joane Hétu, voice, objects; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set
- 10Manier ta manière (2018), 5:36Joane Hétu, voice; Diane Labrosse, sampler, electronics; Pierre-Yves Martel, electric bass, synthesizer; Jean Derome, keyboard, iPads, objects; Pierre Tanguay, drum set, voice
- Label: Ambiances Magnétiques
- AM 250_NUM
- 2020
- UCC 771028125081
- Total duration: 52:30
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In the press
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Focus Québec — Planètes connues

En ces jours de confinement, tous les médias et réseaux sociaux nous ont fait part des libertés nouvelles reconquises par les animaux sauvages dans les espaces anthropisés et notamment les villes: le castor fait partie de ces créatures. Depuis 1998 et Mets ta langue, année de sa dernière apparition (et notre crainte de devoir le compter dans les espèces menacées), il n’a en fait rien perdu de sa truculence. Tout juste s’était-il caché «Sous la couverture», à laquelle peut-être il voulait «Confier sa nudité», attendant «Vos caresses», «Se dépouillant», «Dans la joie l’amour». Là, vous vous dites: «Tu m’ dis ça», mais «Si tu le veux», je vais «Manier ta manière» en sa Compagnie, dans laquelle se trouvent Joane Hétu, Diane Labrosse, Pierre-Yves Martel, Jean Derome et Pierre Tanguay. «On va s’la couler»… tout en s’extasiant des trouvailles, des gags sonores et surtout des textes.
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Review
Another long-standing collaboration is Castor et compagnie, started by Hétu in 1992. With this project she tries to shed new light on the ‘love song’, exploring new relations between text and vocals on the one hand and music on the other. After a long silence she presents now her third album of this project with music and texts by her hand. Performed by a quintet of veteran musicians: Joane Hétu (vocals, alto sax, objects), Jean Derome (sax, flute, keyboard, objects, voice), Diane Labrosse (sampler, voice), Pierre-Yves Martel (electric bass, synthesizer) and Pierre Tanguay (drums). Vocals (and texts) play a prominent role, and are essential for understanding what is happening here. Alas my knowledge of the French language is far too limited. Concentrating on the music then, we hear experimental song formats, of a style and quality we are used too from Hétu and her companions. They may be not very surprising, but again they are full of funny twists and arrangements with sensitive and expressive vocals and playing. It’s intimate atmosphere and drama is not to be missed.