05/25/2025
Krenadenn/Kren/Coop Breizh/2024
Breton Fest-Noz music has consistently embraced a wide range of popular musical styles, blending them seamlessly with its traditional roots; whether rock, jazz, classical, metal, pop, funk, or techno. This rich openness to innovation means there is still much to explore at the intersection of local dance music and global urban sounds. Krenadenn’s new release Kren exemplifies this dynamic fusion.
I speak of a person rather than a group in the usual sense, because Krenadenn is a project by singer and trumpeter Erwan Burban, although Burban frequently adds musical accomplices to live performances. Over the past two decades, Burban has been an influential figure through his involvement in groups like Jerry Cornic ("Melting paotr", 2003), Skolkozh (2008) et Krenijenn("Peseurt Mood ?", 2011). He has played a key role in developing a new style of dance music, which he calls Rural Breizh-Beat.
Translated from his website, krenadenn.com: True to the specificities of each dance, Krenadenn offers an atypical and rich sound universe. Deep bass and dreamlike synths, singular grooves and song treated as an electronic instrument, poems and timeless stories sung in Breton, French, and Gallo.
Burban’s journey into traditional music began after his training in classical music, where he studied Kan ha diskan call-and-response singing. His dedication to preserving the oral traditions of the Redon region also led him to work closely with the Dastum association. In 2021, he was appointed to oversee educational coordination at the Kreiz Breizh Akademi, the renowned professional music training program began by Erik Marchand. This initiative, now led by the vocalist Krismenn, is part of a broad effort to keep Breton music alive and growing.
Krenadenn marks a new phase for Burban, blending his roots in traditional Breton music with contemporary electronic sounds. The project introduces a unique take on Breizh-Beat, combining laid-back ‘trap’ rhythms with the melodies and dance forms of Brittany. Kren, Burban’s first album under the Krenadenn name, features a mix of traditional and original melodies, poems, and dance songs. These are drawn from the archives of Dastum and the epic Barzaz-Breizh and are sung in Breton, Gallo, and French, the three main languages of Brittany.
The album takes listeners on a tour of Breton dance types, including the Laridé, Scottish, Hanterdro, Plinn, Kas ha Barh, Ronds de Loudéac, Pilé Menu, Ridée, Fisel, and Cercle Cercassien, all reimagined with breakbeat rhythms, synthetic layers, and deep bass. While the trumpet is the only “real” instrument on the record, its role is complemented by the deliberate use of auto-tune on Burban's voice, an atypical element that may raise eyebrows but serves a clear creative purpose in shaping the overall, somewhat surreal sound.
The album's vocal style alternates between sung and spoken modes, often resembling slam poetry. The trumpet frequently doubles the vocal lines, contributing to the overall texture. What sets Kren apart is its variety, both in terms of instrumental arrangements and rhythmic shifts. Burban balances the conventions of traditional Breton music with more electronic and industrial sensibilities, resulting in a distinctive project that stands out in the current Breton musical landscape.
Produced by Burban in a home studio, with sound engineering by Damien Tillaud and beat-making by Carmine Esposito, Kren is, at its core, a dance album. Though it works well as a mellow listening experience at home, its true purpose is to fuel Fest Noz celebrations in Brittany and beyond.
For live performances, Krenadenn becomes a trio. Burban is joined by Barbara Le Craz on electronics and Brian Ruellan on a second trumpet. This expanded lineup brings new depth to the material, allowing for improvisation and exploration of the melodies, while keeping the groove intact for the dancers.
In both its recorded and live forms, Krenadenn highlights how Fest Noz culture, often seen as an uber-traditional practice, can thrive in the context of contemporary music. With Kren, Erwan Burban reaffirms that Breton music has a strong and relevant place in the global music scene.
- Fañch
