Ainsi soit je...

Infobox Album | Name = Ainsi Soit je...
Type = Album
Artist = Mylène Farmer


Released = 1988
Recorded = Paris (France)
Genre = Synthpop
Length = 45:47
Label = Polydor
Producer = Laurent Boutonnat
Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kifoxqqhldje link]
Last album = "Cendres de Lune"
(1986)
This album = "Ainsi Soit Je..."
(1988)
Next album = "En Concert"
(1989)Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = Studio album


Lower caption = Promotional edition - EuropeSingles
Name = Ainsi soit je...
Type = Studio album
single 1 = Sans contrefaçon
single 1 date = October 16, 1987
single 2 = Ainsi soit je...
single 2 date = March, 1988
single 3 = Pourvu qu'elles soient douces
single 3 date = September 12, 1988
single 4 = Sans logique
single 4 date = February, 1989

"Ainsi Soit Je..." (a play on "ainsi soit-il", which can mean either "so be it" or "amen") is the second album by Mylène Farmer, released in April 1988. ["Le Progrès", April 18, 1988 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/Le_progres_180488.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)] ["Madame Figaro", June 3, 1988 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/Madame_figaro_030688.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)] It contains the hit singles "Sans contrefaçon", "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" and "Sans logique". Generally well-received by critics, it was very successful and remains to date the second best-selling album of the singer.

Background

After the success of the album "Cendres de Lune" and the hits "Sans contrefaçon" and "Ainsi soit je...", Farmer had any sense to release a second album that could be well received by the public, because it would enable her to consolidate her growing popularity, thus preventing her from slipping back into anonymity."Ainsi soit je..." [http://www.mylenefarmeriscalled.net/ainsialbum.html Mylenefarmeriscalled.net] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)] The album necessitated a total of five to six months of work. ["Pulsion", May 1988] It was recorded at the studio Mega, Avenue Maréchal-Maunoury, in Paris (XVIe arrondissement) under the leadership of Thierry Rogen, a renowned sound engineer who had already worked in particular with Michel Sardou. ["Mylène Farmer, biographie", Bernard Violet, J'ai lu ed., 2004, p. 93 (ISBN 2-290-34916-X)]

The album's cover shows Farmer who turns with, at left, the puppet used in the music video for "Sans contrefaçon". The photographs of the booklet were made by Elsa Trillat.

The album was eventually released in April 1988 and had a huge success.

Lyrics and music

The texts, which contain many literary references to famous authors (such as Baudelaire, Poe, etc), were written by Mylène Farmer, except "L'Horloge" (a poem by Charles Baudelaire), "Déshabillez-moi" (originally sung in 1966 by Juliette Gréco) and "The Farmer's Conclusion" (which is a instrumental song). The album has a melancholy and sad tone, and deals with death, suicide, madness with gloomy and desperate texts. The sexual ambiguity, sodomy and provocation are also tackled. ["L'Intégrale Mylene Farmer", Erwan Chuberre, 2007, City Ed., p. 26 (ISBN 978-2-35288-108-7)] "Le Dictionnaire des Chansons de Mylène Farmer", Benoît Cachin, 2006, Tournon Ed., p. 28-29]

Critical reception

The album was generally well-received in media at the time. Indeed, the press said : "Mylène shows an imagination and a new maturity in these charming libertine poems and her synthetic hits containing literary references" ("20 Ans"). ["20 Ans", June 1988 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/20ANS_0688.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)] This "great" ("Gaipied") ["Gaipied", December 12, 1988, "Skeuds de Noël" [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/GAIPIED_221288.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)] and "successful" ("Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace") ["Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace", May 14, 1988 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/Dernieres_nouvelles_d'alsace_140588.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)] album has "an intellectual and musical universe always so creative" ("Gaipied"). ["Gaipied", May 17, 1988, "Ainsi soit-elle" [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/GAIPIED_170588.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)] Its songs were described as "powerful, sometimes catchy and often spellbinding compositions" ("Paris Nuit") ["Paris Nuit", April 1988 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/PARIS_NUIT_0488.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, )] The journalist Caroline Bee said this album is "an ambiguous, bright, romantic and beautifully produced gem"."Mylène Farmer, la part d'ombre", Caroline Bee, Antoine Bioy and Benjamin Thiry, January 2006, Archipel Ed., p. 362]

Some criticisms were also made against "Ainsi soit je..." For example, according to "L'Humanité", this album uses an "old-fashioned stylistic mannerism to reinvent poetry" ("L'Humanité"). ["L'Humanité", June 2, 1988 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/L'humanite_020688.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)] "Rock Land" qualified this album as a "second collection of bad thoughts with a spectacular flippantly", whose "B-side is flat". ["Rock Land", May 1988 [http://www.devant-soi.com/Monde-de-Myl%E8ne/presse/articles-presse/1988/rock_land_mai88.jpgDevant-soi.com] (Retrieved March 27, 2008)]

This album is generally considered by many people as "one of the most successful","Mylène Farmer, la part d'ombre", Caroline Bee, Antoine Bioy and Benjamin Thiry, January 2006, Archipel Ed., p. 362] even "the best album" of Farmer, all periods combined."Le Dictionnaire des Chansons de Mylène Farmer", Benoît Cachin, 2006, Tournon Ed., p. 28-29]

Chart performances

In France, the album debuted at #8 on April 1988, but it dropped to #26 five months later. However, thanks to the successful single ")]

The album was also released in Germany, where it reached #47.

On March 20, 2005, the album, then reissued in a digipack version, entered the French Top Mid' Price for four weeks, peaking at #2.

ingles

Credits

* Texts : Mylène FarmerExcept : "L'Horloge" : Charles Baudelaire, "Déshabillez-moi" : Robert Nyel
* Music : Laurent BoutonnatExcept : "Déshabillez-moi" : Gaby Verlor
* Sound : Thierry Rogen
* Mixed by Thierry Rogen
* Keyboard and synthesizer : Laurent Boutonnat
* Guitar : Slim Pezin
* Bass : Bernard Paganotti
* Pan flute and shakuhachi : Pol Ramirez del Più
* Chorus : Mylène Farmer and les Moines Fous du Tibet
* Programmations : Thierry Rogen, Frédéric Rousseau
* Editions : Bertrand Le Page / Polygram MusicExcept : "Déshabillez-moi" : Editions Intersong Paris
* Mastering and engraving : André Perriat (Top Master)
* Photos : Elsa Trillat
* Model : Jean-Paul Théodule
* Puppet made by Benoît Lestang
* Management : Bertrand Le Page
* Recorded and mixed at Studio Mega
* Produced by Laurent Boutonnat

Certifications and sales

Charts

References