Frank Rabeyrolles shares an unreleased single “Beauty and Smile” from his latest album Boat Songs. Between the gentle touch of schizophrenia that one grows more into with age and a haunting hint of nostalgia and wonder that gazes into the horizon, lingering thoughts pull the heartstrings, his music delves into a kind of world-weariness and psychedelia that everyone can relate to.

Within a short time of the album’s release, it has garnered great organic traction. “Surfing to Nowhere” has hit more than 18,000 streams on Spotify. Recorded as a trio, Boat Songs marks the French artist’s seventh studio album, a collection of bittersweet chiaroscuro ballads with a romantic, poetic blend of shadow and light. Lo-fi aesthetic meets introspective, philosophical discussions. The fatality of an escape from the world, the relationship to time, versatile love, redemption, alienation, and the loss of oneself are being explored in depth, with heart. The thoughts and wonders become alive and intertwined in the storytelling of hypnotic guitars and pure, heartfelt vocals. Everyone can find something to relate to in Boat Songs.

Rabeyrolles may have been a quiet character full of discreet rising from the French music scene in the early 2000s, but his dreamy mixture of indie pop with electronic allures leave a breadcrumb of traces for listeners to follow. For one, his music never fails to impress. Traveling between genres, intuitively, and spontaneously while experimenting, the creative sparks have only grown stronger as the years went by.

As a prolific artist who has been creating music for decades, Rabeyrolles’ work is understated. His releases have brought many wonderful sonic journeys and joy to fans, though his name might be unknown. In 2004, Life behind the window under the alias, Double u, leaves a hard mark on many’s hearts. Les Inrockuptibles and Liberation then thrive to become “album of the month” in Trax. The end of 2011 saw him taking a leap of faith with more commitment to his music. And since then, music released to the public has been under his real name.