It may be quite uncommon to pick as album of the week a record released back in May 11th. Probably it feels odd enough for most people but, what matters it isn't so much the time symmetry between release and review, what indeed matters is that there is no appropriate time to deservedly mention an album that is, in fact, one of the best releases so far this year. That was the case of french post punk/dark rock band Varsovie's third full-length titled "Coups et Blessures".
Varsovie's "Coups et Blessures" entirely sung in french. In case you don't deal well with the idiom, don't panic. The music is so impressive that you can definitely get into the dark, enigmatic, atmospheric mood of this infectious, addictive album. You'll be able to feel the poetic and emotional tension present in the whole album taking control of your senses.
The french post punk movement if we can label it so without hurting any sensibilities was always characterized by a certain gloomy, dark, electric, urban sense of despair and anxiety boosted by the poetic drama of the french idiom which gives to the songs an even darker, on edge of the knife sort of feeling. Varsovie's "Coups et Blessures" pays an absolutely fantastic tribute to such legacy.
The literary influences and strong of post punk ambiance make of coups et blessures one of the most visible examples of excellence in modern french music scene. Coups et Blessures is a strong statement of independence, strong identity in line with a remarkable aesthetic coherence, gloomy, fragile and at the same time strong and fierce, claustrophobic and gut wrenching wrapped in a dark, smoggy beauty that makes it almost vicious to listen to.
Varsovie's " Coups et Blessures" is probably the most important album to have been released after Marquis de Sade's "Rue du Siam" that will make history in the french independent, underground music scene. A fabulous return to the very best of European Post-Punk, in ages.
INDIEVOTION’s is extremely honored to be previewing UIU "Wild And Innocent" brand-new track as part of the mesmerizing incremental compilation "Minimal Viable Product" series to be built over the year and commissioned by Detonic Recordings (Spirit Bunny, Multiple Man, School Damage etc).
Each Month an on-line single will be published with an "A" and "B" side from each of the international artists participating in the project. At the end of the year the complete compilation (Vinyl and CD) will be released featuring the exclusive tracks from each contributor.
UIU (the solo incarnation of Perth based musician Greg Weir (ex-DTHWBBA/WhiteFawn) stands out as a strong and beautiful new driving force of Dark-Wave, New-Wave, Post-Punk, Goth-Pop and most of all of Synthpunk.
Gathering inspiration and guidance from many 80s acts such as Futurisk, Suicide, Gary Numan, Ike Yard and The Human League, John Foxx, The Cure, ABC, and Eurythmics; UIU encompasses a wide palette of dark, yet melodic sounds into a retro soundtrack for a world falling apart, a dystopian singularity future.
The Single will be available digitally on Wed 13th June from Spotify, Deezer, iTunes etc and for free download from the Detonic Bandcamp.
It is no secret for anyone that there is a long, super interesting, profusely documented history concerning the cultural and civic aspects of the Vancouver underground, punk and post-punk music scene. For all those who deeply connect with music as an epiphenomenon it is almost impossible to not acknowledge the amount of literature produced about it plus the decidedly important contribution of documentaries such like “Bloodied But Unbowed” or “No Fun City” both from 2010 which in the overall helped to pinpoint Vancouver as an avant-garde musical territory. It comes with no surprise then that ACTORS whose debut album INDIEVOTION is reviewing today also hail from the city of glass. When one is acquainted enough with the fire and the fury of the late 70s early 80s music developments it turns out to be almost unquestionable that ACTORS do belong to a novel generation of bands that in spite of all efforts of sonic modernization, diverse cultural background and existential circumstance still very much build their sound upon both the New Wave and Post-Punk classic pillars.
Of course one can say they don’t properly sound like the New Wave and Post-Punk bands from the golden years between 78 and 84 and why should they sound that way? Seeking inspiration in the classic sounds of New Wave and Post Punk means aesthetic dialogue, appropriation and fusion of cultural horizons. That what ACTORS did by trying to sort of updated the approach to aforementioned genres which was decidedly what New Wave and Post-Punk bands did back then: they’ve all effortlessly tried to innovate, transform and step forward towards a brave new world full of intricacies and much less resourceful as present era. It is precisely because of the dialogue I mention and the fusion that results from it that we get this deep sense of updated New Wave and Post Punk sonic experience on ACTORS debut album which I dare say is an almost perfect soundtrack for a dystopic world where one finds wonderfully combined both the profound disquiet and romanticism proper of the 80s symbolizing the deep uncertainty of existential angst within the urban peripheries with that nowhere fast acceleration of contemporary times and their sense of continued falling into the abyss and permanent rebuilding of hope.
The tracklist of ACTORS It Will Come to You is an astounding example of what we’ve written on the previous paragraphs. From opening to closing It Will Come to You displays all the ingriedients ranking it as one of the best albums of 2018 so far. The opening track of the album “L’Appel du Vide“ blends The Mission with Killing Joke and Echo & The Bunnymen displaying a very good example of how much of post punk legacy there are on ACTORS debut album plus with some drum beat frenzy and background synth noise that could perfectly be from In The Nursery or Joy Division not to mention that Jason Corbet vocals sound like to Ian McCulloch meets Wayne Hussey meaning they sound quite nice. The initial song of the album is beyond doubt a stand out track but not the only one on the album. “Slaves“ is the next stand out song of the album. It follows the same irresistible, haunting, standing on the edge of the world sort of feeling that takes hold of mind and body because it compulsively pushes you to dance, dance, like there were no tomorrow. The bass-line is infectious, absolute dope to say the least, restless, steady drumming, shimmering guitar and tasteful synths add that extra exquisite touch to this song that leaves no one indifferent.
“Face Meets Glass” keeps the fast steady rhythm of the two previous tracks and what a gorgeous song it is with beautiful guitars, addictive bass-line and drum beat surprisingly mixed with synth lines and chords that remind the best of Ultravox mixed with The Human League. “Hit to the Head” is a rather interesting song that owes its relevance to some infectious synths that grab one’s attention from the very beginning to the end. “Crosses” is the Dead Can Dance moment of the album. Doom and gloom ethereal with minimal beautiful synths and falsetto vocals. Pretty beautiful though it sounds like a burial song. “Bury Me“ is another stand out highly danceable track that reminds some odd encounter between Daft Punk, Bauhaus and Joy Division. The synths make this song absolutely infectious in fact they are in spite of all other instrumental details the piece of resistance of the entire song. Unquestionably fantastic for any dance floor anywhere on planet Earth.
“Crystal” results in another very good track where Shannon once again demonstrates how much ACTORS sonic appeal owe to her synth realm. The synth lines massively remind the 80s mainly the Alan Wilder contribution to the dark sound trademark one can find in some Depeche Mode recordings but also Dave Ball work with Soft Cell though one must not forget the very delightful Joy Division-esque guitar riff and the drum beat so akin to In The Nursery industrial style. “We Don’t Have To Dance“ is the pop hit of the album with a super effective Joy Division/New Order rhythm section that keeps this song so very alive from start to finish making it infectiously danceable. The synths are very much in line with Ultravox (again) but also with New Order. The guitars in this particular song are also Joy Division-esque although there are some sonic details reminding both early U2 and Simple Minds. “Let it Grow” is a track that not only brings to mind much of what Joy Division synth aesthetics was like but is also is a song that could have perfectly been composed by New Order and this is the best one can say about it. “Bird in Hand” closes the album masterfully with a synth noise interference that relates to the overall ambiance of the album. Well done.
As concluding remarks It Will Come to You results in a top league album with a fistful of standout songs that will definitely please different generations of post punks from the more orthodox to the unorthodox, from the those who have memory of the 80s to those who need to gain it but in the meantime dance, dance, dance…
