The art of Renaud Letang invites you into an intimately interconnected world. From inside his studio, the Grammy-nominated producer––behind some of the most canonised albums of the last few decades––is a therapist, a problem solver, and skilled technician who transforms the spaces he occupies into playgrounds for artists. Now, debuting as DRIFT and unveiling his own project titled DRIFT ISLAND, Letang creates music that is designed to be felt as much as heard.

Born in 1970 in Iran to French parents, his childhood was spent in far-flung locales—Tehran, Paris, Indonesia, and Venezuela and his father, a classical jazz pianist, would play for hours each night. His omnipotence from ’88 onwards is virtually unmatched. At 18, he began as an engineer in Paris at the revered Guillaume Tell studio. For the next three years, he led the reigns as the main assistant, breathing life into hall-of-fame songs before the world would hear them. A baby-faced presence among stars like Prince, Ray Charles, and Charles Aznavour.

In 1990, Letang picked up a side gig as Jean-Michel Jarre’s engineer, offering a foundational rupture in his career when he oversaw the sound production for Jarre’s timeless La Défense concert. After turning down Phil Ramone’s offer to join him in the US, Letang branched out as a freelancer, working on albums like The Silencers’ So Be It and Manu Chao’s Clandestino and Próxima Estación: Esperanza. The wild style forged in these collaborations anchored these lasting relationships that define his career.

In the early 2000s, eager to step out of his comfort zone again, the stars aligned when Chilly Gonzales moved to Paris, opening the doors to a partnership. Introducing Letang to his friend Feist, Gonzales suggested they collaborate—a connection that culminated in Let It Die (made without label backing), and later The Reminder (2007), Metals (2011), and Pleasure (2017). The pair forged a close-knit circle, counting Gonzales, Feist, Peaches, Jamie Lidell, and Mocky at its core—where Letang’s trusted vision spanned six of Mocky’s albums.

By the mid-2010s, Letang continued to grow his solo repertoire. While producing a live show for Charlotte Gainsbourg, where Connan Mockasin’s band was performing, he met and eventually found another creative allegiance with Mockasin, Infinite Bisous, and LA Priest, resulting in crackling albums like With Love, Soft Hair and Jass Busters.

Whether mastering the oud for Palestinian ensemble Le Trio Joubran, or picking up international acclaim mixing the renowned Mali musicians Amadou & Mariam’s Foila––Letang’s work maps out his vast social and cultural foundations. Conceptualised alongside Chilly Gonzales at Studio Ferber in Paris, every offering as DRIFT is an act of love in that sense, prepared with great care. It’s the culmination of countless years of experience and a childhood immersed in the language of music, guided by one of the few producer-turn-artists with the range to pull it off.

A meeting of maverick minds, his collaborations with Feist, Connan Mockasin, Jamie Lidell, Saul Williams, Benny Sings, Mocky, Philippe Katerine, and Infinite Bisous reflect years of creative synergy. The narrative unfolds like a coming-of-age tale, exploring the complexities of feeling adrift in a world made for connection. DRIFT ISLAND is music made for the end of a rooftop barbecue, when the sun dips, the beer is nearly done, and everyone who doesn’t want to be there has gone already. Here, you can be honest, goofy, even silent.