Minard, a brief story of slowness – Stationary Travels

Perched on the cliffs of Côtes-d’Armor on the north Breton coast of France, Maison Minard is a single-story house of minimalist design that serves as both a retreat for travelers and a studio home for self-managed creative residencies for artists and writers from around the world. One such artist is Tom Leclerc, a French composer, engineer, and improviser of contemporary electronic music and with his new project called A Brief Story of Slowness he invites his audience to share in the quiet magic of what is clearly a very special place.

The synthesizer, placed in front of the large bay window overlooking the sea, witnessed the birth of these compositions. They emerged from walks along the beach, from clouds descending over the water, from rain drops bouncing off the windows. The days were paced only by the shifting landscape and a few cups of coffee, in a house where everything invited listening.

The nine-track album that will be released later this month tells the story of what is described as both a deceleration and a quiet contemplation of “elements unfolding before the eyes.” In preparation for this creative endeavor, Leclerc brought with him a home-built Buchla modular synth, a reel-to-reel tape machine, and a modest collection of other tools which he set up in a location that took advantage of the ocean views afforded by Maison Minard’s southern exposure.

The Buchla, with its oscillators and shifting textures, became an extension of the surrounding nature: a way to translate light, the breath of the wind, or the distant rumble of waves, into sound. Everything was born from this intimate relationship with the place, without any defined goal; simply in surrender to slowness and the beauty of chance.

Clearly, for an album such as A Brief Story of Slowness, the environment in which it was made, and the process of its creation is as fascinating as the music itself which is what makes this video premiere such a treat. Leclerc and Joséphine Leroux have made a short film which captures a sense of all these aspects through a series of tiny vignettes that is like a cross between a journal and a photo album set to music thus turning a solitary experience into art that can be shared and savored by many.

At Point Minard, we take the time to do nothing, to savor those moments that are all too rare and precious, letting ourselves drift into creation.

A Brief Story of Slowness will be released November 21, 2025, by Moderna Records on limited edition vinyl LP as well as digital & streaming. The album was mastered by Adrien Pallot and features artwork by Aurélien Débat.

Links: Bandcamp (LP/digital) | Tom LeClerc