Remain in light

Le premier album de Fujiya & Miyagi en 2006 était assez long en bouche mais s'avérait au final un disque qui tient bien mieux la route que d'autres du même genre.
Ces Brightoniens sont plutôt habiles pour trousser des mélodies entêtantes empruntant autant aux rhythmisques hypnotiques du krautrockqu'à la pop la plus accessible et accrocheuse.
Et de l'avis de ceux qui ont eu la chance de les voir c'est encore mieux en concert, on espère donc une tournée conséquente à la sortie de leur second "Lightbulbs" qui est dans la droite lignée de "Transparent things", en un peu plus concis et moins tortueux.
Alors que certains déplorent, à raison, l'uniformité et la prévisibilité de la scène rock Britannique depuis un petit moment il est rassurant de voir des formations qui font avancer le schmilblick avec une économie de moyens, capables de faire groover sans vulgarité et plein d'imagination.

Fujiya & Miyagi "Pussyfooting" (alt)

I enjoyed a lot their first one, not immediately but for a very long time.
New Fujiya & Miyagi lp "Lightbulbs" sees Brighton geniuses doing the same mix of krautrock hypnotic loops and basslines in a quite pop format, catchier and cleverer than a lot of current UK bands, they definitely are a band to support.

Dusk till dawn

Pas vraiment crédible de ma part de recommander le "Lessons to be learned" de l'Australienne Gabriella Cilmi mais en termes de pop sucrée c'est une excellente surprise.
La production étonnament sobre des roublards de Xenomania (Girls Aloud) n'est sans doute pas étrangère à la réussite de ce premier essai mais il faut aussi louer une voix soul étonnante de maturité pour une demoiselle d'à peine 16 ans.
Le premier single de cette troublante jeune femme a en outre bénéficié d'excellents remixes, une version dub signée Ashley Beedle et une nouvelle petite merveille d'arrangements du constant Matthew Herbert.

Gabriella Cilmi "Sweet About Me" (Matthew Herbert's Savoury Mix)

Dans un registre autrement plus sombre difficile de se passer du dernier single de David Holmes, espoir downtempo des 90's devenu depuis compositeur atitré des films de Soderbergh.
C'est lui qui annone ce titre hypnotique qu'on attendait plus du coté de Primal Scream s'ils avaient continué dans la voie d'"Autobahn 66" et son remix en face B est tout simplement digne du meilleur Suicide.

David Holmes "I Heard Wonders" (Andy Weatherall Vocal Mix)

Two remixes unavoidable in my personal playlist.
First is for Australian newbie whose teenpop lp is worth listening for Xenomania usual tricks and a surprisingly deep voice.
Like many of his works Herbert makes her first single even better.
On a darker style that new David Holmes sounds nothing like his Soderbergh movies soundtracks, think Suicide or Primal Scream when they were actually good.

Walk on by

Isaac Hayes n'est plus.
Les mots ne seront jamais assez forts pour évoquer le choc de la découverte de sa musique à l'époque où, gaga de trip hop mais ignare en soul fouinais dans les médiathèques à la recherche du sample original de tel ou tel tube de Portishead ou Cypress Hill, je me prenais en pleine figure des monuments comme "Black Moses" et "Hot Buttered Soul".
R.I.P. monsieur Shaft.

Isaac Hayes "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic"

The Genius who introduced me to the delights of Soul Music through hip hop samples when I was young passed away today, I don't find any accurate words to express the shock it was and the influence he had to my musical education.

Ces petits riens

Few months ago Guzzbourg from Filles Sourires asked me to do a vintage mix with French songs from the 80's but sadly I didn't manage to get all my favorite tunes in time.

I didn't give up the idea though, and finally made this one with some additional 90's tracks, and found some cheesy videos too.

Bloggers around the world hype everyday about French electronic music, I've tried to do something different that can be heard as a rough guide to French new wave, punk and pop from big to obscure names.

I really hope you will enjoy wherever you are, and if you are a lot to download and comment, I'd definitely complete another one as there's a numerous other bands and songs I couldn't include this time.

MisterBlog's French mix

ETIENNE DAHO "Il ne dira pas"

Taken from his first lp produced by Marquis De Sade, you might know him for the Saint Etienne hit "He's on the phone", he's one of the most famous pop singers and maybe the only one that always get critical and mainstream success.

LES FILS DE JOIE "Adieu Paris"

This new wave band was from Toulouse and had this minor hit although lyrics are quite suicidal in 1983, recently re-issued on the excellent "Des Jeunes Gens Modernes" compilation.

LES FANATICS "La monnaie"

This absolutely stunning song reminds me of The Clash circa "Magnificent seven".
Don't understand why this punk band from Colombes didn't even release an album after that.

BIJOU "C'est un animal"

In the late 70's France wasn't ready for rock in French until Telephone and Trust breakthroughs.
Bijou were quite successful though, and even did some tracks with Gainsbourg like "Les papillons noirs".

LILI DROP "Sur ma mob"

I love the bouncing bassline and the backing vocals on this one.
A song about youth from an overshadowed trio whose drummer Enzo Enzo will have a sweet solo career few years after.

LES CALAMITES "Toutes les nuits"

These girls rocked like a very few French girl bands did, and are undirectly the main influence of acclaimed (well overseas at least) Plasticines.
They had a crossover hit called "Velomoteur" and then left the rock'n'roll circus way too early.

STRYCHNINE "Generation vaincue"

A kind of French "Blank generation" by one of the best bands ever coming from Bordeaux.

OLIVENSTEINS "Fier de ne rien faire"

Can be translated into "Proud to be a wanker", another brillant, essential French punk hymn.

BLESSED VIRGINS "Jean Pascal et la France"

Apparently this rock band was once big in Japan but remained quite a one-minor-hit-wonder here.

DIABOLOGUM "Les garçons ont toujours raison"

Often compared to Sonic Youth, they were one of the best indie acts of the 90's before splitting and having other projects like Experience and Programme.

CANDIE PRUNE "L'effet Eiffel"

Don't know much from this trio from Rennes except this incredible rrriot girl anthem that rocked my world in 1998.

ULTRA ORANGE "Little girl"

Before releasing a quite good garage rock album with actress Emmanuelle Seigner this duo was more in a Garbage vein with a little bit of electronic in their power pop.

JAD WIO "Le Beatnik de l'espace"

Frontman Denis Bortek might not be very huge but he has a very strong fanbase and is a kind of cult glam goth icon still touring small clubs.

OUI OUI "La ville"

They were one of the grooviest and smartest bands, but maybe too smart for mainstream.
Their videos were amazing too, directed by the band's drummer, none other that Michel Gondry.

JEAN FRANCOIS COEN "La tour de Pise"

Michel Gondry directed the video too.
A big romantic whisper song from former Modern Guy bassist.

LES NEGRESSES VERTES "Face à la mer"

File it under French Balearic, you might already know the remix Massive Attack did for this sublime track.

NOIR DESIR "Oublié" (Replicant mix)

This is our biggest band, they are powerful, melodic, poetic, but for some reason I never really enjoy their records except for this kind of trip hop rework that is still impressive.

PRUDENCE "A tort ou à raison"

I think I had already wrote this but alongside Camille, Armelle Pioline from Holden is my favorite female singer.
This magical song that can be found on a side-project is one of my favorite 00's French tracks so far.

Where do you run to

Nouvel album pour Emiliana Torrini, sans doute la plus craquante des chanteuses Scandinaves mais aussi une des plus rares, seulement 3 disques en 10 ans, c'est trop peu pour espérer marquer autant les esprits que l'autre star Islandaise mais contrairement à Björk son écriture gagne en profondeur et l'épure qui tranche avec ses débuts surproduits lui va comme un gant.
"Me and Armini" reprend les choses là où "Fisherman's women" les avaient laissées, c'est encore sous l'angle folk douceureux qu'on a plaisir à la retrouver avec ici et là quelques chaloupements reggae du plus bel effet comme sur ce probable second single.

Emiliana Torrini "Heard It All Before"

This is only the third Emiliana Torrini album in ten years but this Icelandic singer gets better each time she comes back, if you like thin voices, sweet folk melodies and deep songwriting I'd definitely reckon you should have a listen to her new lp due to September.

I will not apologize

En même temps que les Cure sortiront leur millionième album sortira une compilation de reprises "Perfect as cats" pour une opération caritative, avec d'illustres inconnus pour qui ne suit pas de près l'internationale indie et aussi des groupes plus ou moins établis tels que Dandy Warhols, Jesu, Devastations, Kaki King.
En guise d'apéritif voici la toujours scotchante Natacha Khan qui livre sa version de l'indépassable classique avec la touche de féerie inquiète qu'on lui connaît en attendant fébrilement un successeur à son coup d'essai d'il y a deux ans.

Bat For Lashes "A forest" (The Cure cover)

The Cure will release their new album very soon and there will be a cover compilation too with a lot of indie obscure acts paying tribute to Robert Smith's incredible songs like this beautiful version by Natasha Khan far from the original but quite magic too.
I add another cover in a very different style from a 70's band better known for disco hit "Lady Marmelade" that might have overshadowed the rest of their excellent discography.

Une autre reprise plus ancienne et dans un style tout à fait différent, de la part du groupe auquel on doit le fameux "Lady Marmelade" qui comme tous les tubes disco planétaires est un peu l'arbre qui cache la forêt.

Labelle "Won't Get Fooled Again" (The who cover)

Podcast #27

JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN "To Be loved"
PRIMAL SCREAM "The Glory of Love"
GOLDEN SILVERS "Arrows of Eros"
LATE OF THE PIER "The Bears Are Coming"
BRAZILIAN GIRLS "Good time"
CSS "Left Behind" (Midnight Juggernauts Remix)
BEATVANDALS VS A-SKILLZ "Funky Sounds"
GIRL TALK "Set It Off"
STEREO MC'S "Get on it"
BASEMENT JAXX "Wheel N Stop" (ft. Serocee)
BOOM & BIST "Jamaican Boy" (ft. Brisa Roche & Lone Ranger)
LEE 'SCRATCH' PERRY "Fire"

Télécharger//Download