A young man arrives in Paris with high hopes, moving into a shared apartment with his best friend. However, the initial excitement quickly gives way to disillusionment, as shown in an unfiltered form of autofiction—a genre where the author blends real-life experiences with fictional elements. This work, an album by Sylvain Bordesoules titled Nycthémère, delves into themes of ambition, the challenges of making a name for oneself in a city like Paris, and the painful realization of betrayal and disappointment. Nycthémère draws comparisons to the spirit of Balzac's Lost Illusions, a novel that critiques the illusions of success and the harsh realities of life in 19th-century France. However, the title Nycthémère is not directly connected to Balzac's work. Instead, it reflects the contrast between the promise of modern life and the enduring struggles of loneliness, social conflict, and despair. Despite the passage of time and the technological advancements that have replaced older modes of transportation, like the fiacre (a horse-drawn carriage), the emotional and social challenges remain largely unchanged. Sylvain Bordesoules, in his twenties, made the decision to leave Nice and break with part of his family in order to start a new life in Paris. His work critically examines the complexities of urban bourgeois life and the gay scene, offering a raw and unvarnished perspective on these experiences. The critique and deeper analysis of these themes are accessible only to subscribers of the publication where the article was originally posted, highlighting the exclusivity of such content in the digital age. The album Nycthémère serves as both a personal narrative and a broader commentary on the human condition in modern cities. It challenges listeners to reflect on the costs of ambition and the often unspoken struggles of finding one's place in a world that can feel both exhilarating and isolating.