Interview: Cédric Dind-Lavoie Embraces Serendipity on Immersive New Album ‘Collages (2019–2022)’

Montreal-based multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Cédric Dind-Lavoie releases his new album Collages (2019–2022), featuring “Lignes,” a serene, gently motional instrumental piece. Rooted in folktronica, krautrock, and acoustic exploration, the track offers a moment of calm and resolution within a broader body of work defined by texture, spontaneity, and immersive listening.

Built from reimagined compositions originally created for contemporary dance performances and documentary film, Collages (2019–2022) marks a shift in Cédric’s creative process. Rather than composing fully formed pieces in advance, the album was shaped directly in the studio, embracing experimentation and chance. Modified guitars, Mexican guitarrón, toy synthesizers, and handcrafted samples made from materials like cardboard and paper form a tactile, unexpected sonic palette.

“This album taught me to trust in serendipity,” Cédric explains. “Unlike my previous albums, where everything was composed in advance, the pieces here were shaped through the recording process itself.”

Originally composed for the finale of the contemporary dance performance Suspendu au sol by Montreal-based company Les Archipels, “Lignes” was designed to evoke a sense of resolution and unity. The title references the closing tableau, where dancers regroup in a single line after a series of chaotic sequences, mirroring the track’s emotional arc toward calm and cohesion.

Sonically, the piece is anchored in delicately layered electric guitars played in a Mixolydian mode, with a rhythmic pulse built from a sampled stomp box. The result subtly echoes the motorik feel of 1970s krautrock, reinterpreted through a softer, more intimate lens. As with the rest of the album, every element is approached with restraint, allowing space, texture, and detail to carry the emotional weight.

1. What did you enjoy most about the creation of this new release?
I especially appreciated using the studio as a playground, which led to this sonic exploration. Unlike my previous albums, where everything was composed in advance, the pieces here were shaped through the recording process itself, which taught me to be more spontaneous.

2. Share a nugget of advice that has resonated with you most over the years.
Take influences for what they are, not as models to copy, and build your own artistic universe from them.

3. Who would be your dream artist/band to co-headline a tour with?
Thomas William Hill from the group Origamibiro was a big influence on my recent sonic explorations. I would really love to see him working in the studio, crafting those amazing soundscapes. And why not share a tour with him.

4. What sets your music apart from others in your genre?
I’ll let listeners decide, but I try to offer a personal sonic universe built on intimate textures and evolving, sometimes surprising harmonies.

5. Tell us what your favourite song is at the moment and why.
“J’pense que” by Arielle Soucy. A Quebec singer-songwriter who crafts her records in an old-school spirit, guided by human connection. This song carries a quiet but profound emotional weight.