Feature Friday - Racine
Photo by Ryan Diduck
Name
Julien Racine
Pronouns
He/Him
Bio
Montréal-based composer, sound engineer, and producer Julien Racine, known simply as Racine, has released six albums, most recently Comedia (Haunter Records, 2025). His 2020 album Quelque chose tombe, released on Danse Noire, received international acclaim and led to performances across Europe and at MUTEK Montréal. Alongside his solo work, Racine has composed, mixed, and designed sound for numerous films presented in cinemas, festivals, and galleries. He is also one-half of the duo Corporation alongside Keru Not Ever.
Instagram
@racine.corporation
Photo by Etienne Lacelle
Where in Montreal are you located?
Viauville
What do you love about your neighborhood?
Viauville remains a neighborhood where rents are still reasonably priced, while offering spacious apartments and interesting architecture (thanks to Monsieur Viau himself). I love its proximity to Olympic Park and Maisonneuve Park. It's a great place to wander around and disconnect from the city for a while.
I also have a soft spot for Aube Bakery, which, in my humble opinion, makes the best bread on the entire island. Then there's the vacant lot next door, which has become an unlikely neighbor of mine. It's a strange and surprisingly inspiring place.
What’s your favourite art space in Montreal and why?
It's hard to pinpoint the places I'm especially drawn to. I usually gravitate toward exhibitions and music events that resonate with me. I couldn't answer this question without mentioning EAF's events at SAT. Their musical curation is always on point, and it's one of the few recurring events I genuinely look forward to seeing on my calendar.
Beyond that, there are places like Sala Rossa, Fonderie Darling, Eli Kerr Gallery, the UQAM Gallery, and many others...
Describe your art in your own words.
I'm primarily drawn to what sounds evoke through their own musicality, rather than more traditional forms of composition. I don't like limiting myself to a particular genre or way of working, and I think that comes across in the different projects I've been involved in.
There's also a kind of "false hauntology" at play in my work. I like to imagine a context, usually a completely anachronistic one, as a canvas on which I can assemble sounds into pieces, and, when the inspiration is there, eventually into an album. More specifically, I'm deeply interested in creative sampling, experimental turntablism (especially its physical gestures), plunderphonics, noise, and cinematic music.
What have you been working on recently?
Quite a few things.
I'm releasing a new album soon on the Montreal label Éditions Appaerent, titled Hamelin. I used the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin as the album's initial conceptual framework. What kind of atmosphere remains in the village after the Piper has led all of its children to their disappearance? It's not meant to be taken literally. Rather, it's a way for me to establish intentionally vague and abstract parameters that help narrow the field of possibilities. The album is set to be released this fall and features collaborations with Heith, Orchestroll, and my longtime collaborator Keru Not Ever.
Speaking of, I'm also working on several records with that same friend under the name Corporation. We're still working on the music we created for our performance with Andy Stott. I also have an album in the works with the Montreal artist .618 (Nick Rony).
More recently, I joined the EAF collective, where I'll be taking on the role of A&R for the label. More to come.
What sparked your passion for music?
I grew up in a house where music was at the center of everyday life. There were CD-ROMs scattered everywhere that I would play with as a toddler. My father is also a musician. At a very young age, I learned to play on his Yamaha DX7 and program patterns on his Roland TR-505.
Later on, I got my hands on this old software called Dance eJay. It was a sort of DAW that only supported its own incredibly cheesy sample library. My friends and I used to make silly videos, and I was always the one in charge of the soundtrack.
Fast forward to today, and I'm still making music for pictures.
What does your creative process look like?
My process is probably very similar to that of many of my contemporaries, in the sense that there isn't just one process but countless ways of beginning a project.
Lately, I've enjoyed starting with a percussion pattern and gradually building around it using various generators, sequencers, and other tools.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
The musician friends I surround myself with, along with all the composers and artists who paved the path I'm fortunate enough to be walking today.
What do you love about playing live?
It depends.
In general, what I enjoy most is the sense of communion that a performance space creates. I find that incredibly energizing.
Beyond that, performing abroad has allowed me to build lasting friendships with extraordinary people from all over the world, and that's something I value just as much.
