Versailles via Libson's Paul Cut talks new album 'Circle People' on Parisian Automatic Writing imprint

Paul Cut’s new album ‘Circle People’ continues to breathe life and soul into house music, bringing together the French producer, DJ and keyboardist’s flair for jazz-infused melodies, swinging rhythms and deep atmospherics. Over the past decade, his EPs on Ron Trent & Chez Damier’s Balance, alongside releases for Inner Balance, Bass Culture and Silver Network, have established him as a distinctive presence within the French scene and beyond. His collaborations with Larry Heard, contributing keys to his recordings and performing as part of his live band, further reflect the musicianship at the heart of his work.

Returning to France’s Automatic Writing, ‘Circle People’ offers eight tracks that move through heavenly pads, gritty dubbed-out grooves, warped vocals and loose, funk-laced rhythms, with Cut’s expressive keyboard work threading it all together. With the album providing the backdrop, we caught up with Paul to discuss the project and the musical experiences that continue to shape his sound.‍

Hi Paul, thanks for joining us. Your new album ‘Circle People’ is arriving this September on Automatic Writing. Can you start by telling us a little about the idea behind the record and what the title represents for you?‍

Hi, thanks for having me ! ‘Circle People’ was based around the idea of the loop, that actually fits on many scales : the loop of a sample, the tracks one after another, night that goes into day, … I realized that in this music, and with the party people, we proudly claim our love for going in circles. Getting hypnotized by the loop, and reaching trance states through repetition. The cover iteself, depicting a tree trunk, is about the circles of life.*‍

You’re known not only as a producer and DJ but also as a keyboardist, and there’s a strong sense of musicianship running throughout the album. How important is actually playing instruments to your creative process, and how does that shape the way you approach house music?

Playing the piano is central in my creative process, and, luckily for me, the MIDI keyboards allow you to play virtually any instrument. That’s why I like to record most of the elements by hand, giving it a human feel that is great in my opinion for house music, even though machines are heavily involved. From the early days, the purpose has been to “give soul to the machine”, and recording my own chords, drums, bass lines, etc… by grooving on the keyboard is a pleasant and coherent way to try to do so.

‘Circle People’ moves through various shades of your sound, from the soulful and jazz-infused feel of ‘Together’ to the rawer, dubbed-out energy of ‘Shady Nasty’ and the psychedelic, lower-slung feel of ‘She Comes Around’. Did you deliberately set out to show different sides of your musical personality with this album?‍

I did choose to show different sides of the music I like, because I am attracted to many things. As a DJ, and for other DJs, it is nice to provide tracks that are tailored for different contexts, from warm-up until after-party sets. It is also a way for me to show that I am not only about jazz and funk piano vibes, but would rather try to subtly input all of that background into new approaches of making underground electronic music.

‍Swing and groove feel particularly central to the record, with the drums often sounding loose and organic rather than rigidly quantised. What goes into finding that balance between the precision needed for the dance floor and retaining a human feel in your productions?

That’s a good point, swing and groove are indeed crucial to me. My kicks are usually square, to provide that solid backbone that is central in club music, but from there you can go in a wide variety of directions, and that’s what I like to explore. Recording most of it by hand provides those small human errors that, in my opinion, make the tension. I don’t approach it too rigidly, since it is a beautiful opportunity to let the music take you instead, and go along with what makes your body move !

Over the years you’ve released music through labels with some serious deep-house heritage, including Ron Trent and Chez Damier’s Balance, Inner Balance, D’Julz’ Bass Culture and Silver Network. What have those relationships and experiences taught you, and how have they helped shape the artist you are today?‍

It’s been an absolute privilege to spend some time with so many of my heroes, even more to work with them. One of Chez’s nicknames is “The Professor”, because it is such a wise and sharing person, giving an infinite amount of teachings about DJ Etiquette, but also about life. These moments are precious, anyone who lived it and felt his aura can tell, and I feel so grateful for being one of his students. The common lesson after meeting those legends, is first of all that they all are the humblest persons you could think of, and mostly, that they are all kind and loving. Common traits I see in all the greatest musicians and humans.

You’re returning to Automatic Writing for ‘Circle People’. What is it about the label and the people behind it that makes it the right home for this particular project, and how has your relationship with them developed over the years?‍

I’ve known the guys for a while now, and have been following the project since then. Always liked the vibe of the label, and played many tracks from Automatic in my sets. The events they provide also are ones that I can relate to, and most of all, I think it simply comes from a common love for the same music. Seeing these guys behind the decks recently killing it confirmed what I already knew, so it feels very natural to work with them !

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French electronic music has a huge international legacy, but there also seems to be a distinct contemporary underground house community operating outside of the more obvious narratives around French dance music. How do you view the scene in France right now, and where do you see yourself fitting within it?‍

The underground scene has always been very strong in France, and I’m happy to see more and more collectives launching parties and opening spaces, as well as great DJs and producers thriving. The events in this scene are never too big, there is attention to the quality of the sound system and the lineups, these are safe spaces, and it goes one step towards the rave spirit, even though the french government is passing crazy laws to criminalize ravers. The ideas and the culture still go on, and I’m not sure it can be stopped. My love goes to underground music, and its spaces, so I feel at home in events like these, where you get to properly connect with the people in the room and celebrate life and culture one step outside of the system.

Finally, after putting together an eight-track project that explores quite a broad spectrum of your sound, where do you feel Paul Cut goes from here? Are there any new musical directions, collaborations, live projects or other plans you can tell us about for the remainder of 2026 and beyond?

‘Circle People’ is a good taste of what’s coming next, with this freedom to go in neighbor genres, but always with this kind of aesthetic. On the side, I have recently started an AV project with my friend Cìn, called LATE FUTURE. In this project, I live code music in javascript, while Cìn manipulates videos and live streamed images, and both of our screens are displayed to the audience so they can see in real time what is going on. Since it is a very different way of making music, the sound is slightly different, but still very infused in the sound of the late 90s and early 2000s, and I allow myself to go further in the exploration of genres, from house to techno, but also with some breakbeat, jungle or ambient music. We are working on our first EP, so stay tuned!

BUY LINK: https://yoyaku.io/release/paul-cut-circle-people-atwt021