Louis Philippe

As a musician, Louis Philippe earned his cult status in the 1980s recording suave smart pop confections for Mike Alway's wonderfully eccentric él label, though his work continued to deepen and develop long after él folded in 1989. Melding a variety of influences from melodic 1960s pop and rock to jazz, bossa nova, classical, and French chanson, the London-based Frenchman has built a diverse and impressive career both with his own elegant albums and as an arranger and producer for acts ranging from the Clientele to Saint Etienne. He is particularly celebrated in Japan, where he is often credited with helping launch the Shibuya sound. Following acclaimed sets like 1998's orchestral Azure and the 2007 standout An Unknown Spring, Philippe took a break from recording and focused on his concurrent career as a British sportswriter. After a 13-year gap, he returned with 2020's Thunderclouds and was later celebrated with the career anthology Sean O'Hagan Presents: The Sunshine World of Louis Philippe.