St. Germain is the stage name of Ludovic Navarre (1973), a French musician whose style is best described as a cross between Jazz and Electronic Music.
Navarre is influenced by Jazz (Miles Davis), Blues (John Lee Hooker), Reggae (Bob Marley, Toots & The Maytals), Hiphop, Dance, and Funk (Kool & the Gang). He started his career in the 1990's, working under a pseudonym derived from the French city St. Germain, which is closely associated with the French jazz scene and were he was born. His first two albums were only released domestically, but his third Tourist (2000) got an international release after the smash success of the hits: "Rose Rouge," "So Flute," and "Sure Thing." "Tourist" sold more than 4 million copies world wide. He wrote the soundtrack for the 2001 tragicomedy film "Chaos" by Coline Serreau. Also known for remixing songs by other artists, the most well known being "Isobel" from Björk's Post (1995).
Discography:
- "Boulevard" (1995)
- "From Detroit to St. Germain" (1999) (under the name Ludovic Navarre)
- Tourist (2000)
Tropes associated with St. Germain:
- Deliberately Monochrome: The album covers of "Boulevard" and "Tourist" are both in black and white.
- Greatest Hits Album: "From Detroit to St. Germain" is a 1999 compilation album, which collects all his former singles, released under both his own name and the pseudonyms.
- I Have Many Names: St. Germain is just one of many pseudonyms he uses, among them Deepside, LN'S, Modus Vivendi, Nuages, and Soofle.
- Electronic Music: Composes all his work on the computer, with aid of some musicians.
- Epic Rocking: His studio tracks can stretch from 6 up tot 12 minutes in length.
- Instrumentals: His music is predominantly instrumental.
- Jazz: His music is very jazzy and he derived his pseudonym from the jazz capital of France.
- Letters 2 Numbers: The track "Thank U Mum (4 Everything You Did)" and "Street Scene (4 Shazz)" from "Boulevard."
- One-Word Title: His albums "Boulevard" and "Tourist."
- Something Blues: His 1995 EP "Alabama Blues" and the 1996 follow-up "Alabama Blues (Revisited)."
