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Hélianthème Find Their Folk Spirit in the Natural World with 'Les Rivages'

Hélianthème's greatest strength is the feeling of community running through the performance.

Artist: Hélianthème

Track: Les Rivages

Style: Indie Folk

In this review

There is something wonderfully infectious about music made by people who genuinely enjoy making it together. Hélianthème capture that feeling beautifully in ‘Les Rivages’, a lively folk composition that combines traditional influences with a fresh, contemporary energy.

Formed in 2022, the French group brings together music, poetry and storytelling, creating a musical world inspired by the sea, Celtic traditions and the natural environment. But there’s more to this particular release than simply an enjoyable folk arrangement. Accompanied by a video filmed in the Forest of Fontainebleau, the track also carries a message about nature, imagination and the importance of protecting the places that inspire us.

It’s a release that puts a smile on your face while offering something a little deeper to think about.

About The Artist

Hélianthème formed in 2022, bringing together a collective of musicians with a shared interest in folk music, poetry and storytelling. Their musical identity draws on traditional popular music, maritime influences and Celtic sounds, while retaining a warmth and accessibility that gives their work its own personality.

The group describes its musical world as a journey towards a wider musical and multimedia project, with individual releases designed to connect thematically and contribute to a contemporary mythology of their own.

Their first record, ‘Épique La Baleine !’, established the foundations of this approach. In 2026, they returned with a second EP, ‘Abordez l’Artimon !!’, continuing their exploration of folk music and maritime storytelling.

The group also has an interesting relationship with live performance. Through numerous street performances, Hélianthème have developed a repertoire that reflects their collective approach to making music. Rather than treating each release as an isolated project, they are building a wider creative world that unfolds through successive musical chapters.

Their latest work also demonstrates how music can connect with the places and experiences that inspire it.

Track Spotlight

What immediately stands out about ‘Les Rivages’ is its wonderful sense of movement. The track gets going with real enthusiasm, bringing together lively rhythms, an engaging melody and an arrangement that feels as though it is constantly moving forward.

The accordion is particularly effective, interacting with the rhythm rather than simply sitting above it. It helps give the arrangement its character, pushing and breathing with the other instruments while contributing to the track’s traditional folk identity.

I particularly enjoy the relationship between the double bass and cajón. These instruments complement each other beautifully. The double bass provides the lower-frequency foundation and depth, while the cajón adds a more immediate midrange attack. It’s a combination that gives the rhythm a lovely sense of energy without making the arrangement feel overcrowded.

The melody is another real strength. It’s fluid, memorable and has a natural sense of movement that almost brings to mind the flow of a river. The backing vocals add another dimension, creating a feeling of togetherness that makes you want to join in.

In fact, that’s perhaps one of the most appealing qualities of the track. It has the sort of infectious energy you might experience when watching a favourite band perform live. You enjoy the music, become caught up in the performance and find yourself wanting to be part of the experience.

There’s also an interesting story behind the accompanying video. Filmed in the heart of the Forest of Fontainebleau, the location carries additional significance following the devastating fires that affected the area during the summer.

The group wanted to celebrate nature while drawing attention to the importance of protecting it. Their accompanying creative concept also embraces Samhain, fairies and the pursuit of dreams, adding a touch of folklore and imagination to the release.

It’s a lovely example of music and imagery working together to communicate something beyond the song itself.

"The accordion interacts with the rhythm rather than simply sitting above it."

Curator Notes

One of the things I appreciate most about Hélianthème is the collective nature of their performance. There’s a genuine sense of musicians enjoying one another’s company and sharing a common enthusiasm for what they are creating.

That feeling is surprisingly difficult to manufacture. You can programme rhythms, layer instruments and carefully construct an arrangement, but capturing the natural interaction between musicians requires something different. Here, the performance has a lovely sense of spontaneity, with each instrument contributing to the overall movement.

From a production perspective, I also think the group have made some particularly good decisions. Acoustic instruments can be challenging to record and balance. A cajón, for example, can easily become dull or boxy, while a double bass can dominate the lower frequencies or disappear into the arrangement altogether.

Here, the instruments retain their individual character while working together as a cohesive musical whole.

I particularly like the decision to preserve the natural qualities of the performance. There’s no obvious attempt to embellish the music with unnecessary studio effects or excessive processing. Instead, the instruments feel as though they belong in the same musical space, allowing the musicians’ interaction to remain at the centre of the recording.

For me, this is an important part of the group’s identity. The personality comes from the musicians themselves, and the production allows that personality to shine through.

There’s also something rather refreshing about music that doesn’t feel preoccupied with following a particular trend. ‘Les Rivages’ is accessible, melodic and full of character, but it doesn’t sacrifice its individuality to achieve that.

Our world could certainly do with a few more positive musical experiences, and Hélianthème remind us that music can bring people together, make us smile and reconnect us with the things that matter.

Mentor Insight & Artist Takeaways

There are several useful lessons here for musicians and producers, particularly those working with acoustic instruments or developing music around a strong collective identity.

1. Give instruments complementary roles.

The relationship between the double bass and cajón is a good example of how different instruments can occupy their own musical space.

When arranging percussion and bass, consider what each instrument contributes. Rather than having several instruments competing for the same frequencies and rhythmic emphasis, look for complementary roles. One instrument might provide depth while another supplies attack and definition.

Try experimenting with this in your own arrangements. Sometimes the solution isn’t adding another instrument, but making better use of the ones you already have.

2. Don’t overproduce a natural performance.

One of the strengths of ‘Les Rivages’ is its sense of musicians playing together. It’s worth remembering that production isn’t always about making something bigger, louder or more polished.

When recording acoustic instruments, concentrate on capturing the character of the performance first. Consider how the instruments interact, how their dynamics change and whether the recording communicates the atmosphere you intended.

Effects and processing should support that experience, not replace it.

3. Think beyond the recording.

The connection between ‘Les Rivages’ and the Forest of Fontainebleau adds another dimension to the release.

For independent artists, this is a useful reminder that a song doesn’t have to exist in isolation. Its visual presentation, location, story and wider creative ideas can all contribute to how an audience experiences the music.

Think about the world surrounding your song. What inspired it? Where does it belong? Is there a visual idea that could communicate something the recording alone cannot?

These ideas can help develop a more recognisable artistic identity and give listeners another reason to connect with your work.

Mentor Insight: Music Is About Connection

If there’s one thing I’d take away from Hélianthème, it’s the importance of preserving the human element in music-making. Just watch the video and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. When I first watched it, it wasn’t just the music that I loved, it was seeing musicians and music creators having a blast.

That is infectious, and it’s what music is all about: celebrating it with others while making it, and celebrating it with others when consuming it. I hope I’ve brought a little light to your day by sharing this great collective with you, too. Watch the video and trust me, it’ll put a smile on your face!

It’s easy to become absorbed in the technical side of recording and production. We spend hours adjusting levels, refining performances, choosing effects and trying to make everything sound as good as possible. But sometimes the most important ingredient is much simpler: the feeling of people making music together.

A great arrangement doesn’t necessarily need more instruments, more processing or greater complexity. It needs a sense of purpose, with every musical decision contributing to the experience.

Hélianthème demonstrate that beautifully. Their music combines traditional influences with a contemporary outlook, but its greatest strength is the feeling of community running through the performance.

As musicians, we should never lose sight of that. Technical knowledge gives us the tools to make better music, but it’s the ideas, relationships and emotions behind those tools that make music worth listening to.

And sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply enjoy making it.

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