l'absente is the fourth studio album by french composer and musician yann tiersen. when french film director jean-pierre jeunet asked tiersen if he was interested in writing the film score for "amélie", tiersen was already working on "l'absente". the album was released on 5 june 2001 through emi france, and was preceded by two promotional singles for "à quai" and "bagatelle". "l'absente" is an album of great variety with tiersen playing many instruments including an old-fashioned typewriter and a pot, and it is characterized by several guests contributions provided by the 35-member ensemble orchestral synaxis conducted by guillaume bourgogne, french folk rock group têtes raides, singers dominique a, lisa germano, neil hannon, and belgian actress natacha régnier, ondes martenot player christine ott, christian quermalet, guitarist marc sens, viola player bertrand lambert, violinists yann bisquay and sophie naboulay, saxophonist grégoire simon, and drummer sacha toorop. "l'absente" peaked at number 41 on the french albums chart.