An instantly endearing release, Daniel dans la nuit is an illustrated children’s book by Carmela Chergui and Timo Hateau, with an original score by Funken. This is a huge untapped market, and we’d like to see more of these, because we’re already in love!
The beautifully illustrated tale is about a litte squid who sneaks out during the Night of the Periwinkles and wakes up everyone he knows. While the text is in French, children of all nations should be able to follow the story. The father looks like a grumpy jelly bean, but all of the other denizens are cute and appealing: an eel with reading glasses, a crab playing the banjo, and in the wonderful closing spread, happy, glowing periwinkles!
This fun story needs a complementary soundtrack, which is exactly what Funken has provided. Seeded with watery sounds, Daniel dans la nuit is never far from the sea. Julien Sénélas uses an electronic palette with the playful innocence of modular synth and Pocket Piano, illustrating with sound, providing a third dimension to the tale. The clicks and pops sound like bubbles and brine shrimp, the elongated squeals like dolphins. Whales closes the opening track, calling to the little squid, come out and play! And this is exactly what the precocious child does. In “Hippolyte et Olive,” one can hear the unfettered joy, the xylophone sounds redolent of children’s toys.
Daddy will of course come looking; in “Où se cache Daniel?” he seems to turn over every shell, shelf and coin with a crash. The effect is more playful than perilous; the reader knows where Daniel is. And if “Lucio le poisson de nuit” (“Lucio the night fish”) sounds like a lullaby, it also sounds like the wonder of a fish who carries her own night light.
By “Dominique et Daniel.” the music is as soothing as a wind-up toy. Papa seems a lot less grumpy as he tucks Daniel into bed for a second time; and when the long-awaited periwinkles arrive, he is as entranced as his son. In response, “La Nuit des bigorneaux” is ambient, twinkling, aglow. One’s own child may not yet be asleep, but let this peaceful piece play after the last page is turned, and it may have the desired effect. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 