Posts Tagged ‘France’

I AM UN CHIEN!! @ CROSSOVER FESTIVAL

Aug 27th, 10 / 1 Comment

Parisian electro/rock duo I Am Un Chien!! is Douglas Cavanna and David Fontao, two youngsters with a passion for rock music and a lot of energy! Their sound is raw and direct, the kind of sound that grabs your guts rather than your intellect. No wonder the guys are so comfortable on stage, where they can crank up the volume, shake their heads and share their liberating beats with the restless audience.

I Am Un Chien – Waves

Before their performance at the Crossover Festival, we caught up with Doug, David, Baptiste (IAUC’s live DJ) and José (David’s brother and member of Stuck In Sound)…

- Why did you chose this name?

It comes from a Pixies’ song: “Debaser”. In the chorus, they say “I am un chien andalusia”… It’s a band that really influenced our sound.

- Your music is often described as electro but when you perform live with your guitars and synths you sound more like a rock band.

Well, originally David and I had a rock band. We met in high school and started our rock band. We started making electro music by chance, just because we liked playing around with softwares and making stuff. In the end the result sounds more like rock than electro and on stage we like to keep this energy, be close to the audience, interact with people. We don’t wanna be up there playing with two laptops and that’s it…

- Can you tell us a bit more about the music video you made on chatroulette.com?

Actually it was our friend Pierre who showed us the site back when there were only about 3000 people on it and we found it hilarious. Then another friend Franck, who directs music videos, suggested we film ourselves playing our music on chatroulette just to see the people’s reaction. Three weeks later we did it and then edited the clip in 3 hours and put it up online. Then it all went a bit crazy, we didn’t know what was going on, the video circulated on the net, was posted on twitter and that’s how the buzz started. That wasn’t even our intention in the first place. We just wanted to make a little experiment, make a video with no budget at all, broadcast our music to people all over the world and see what kind of reactions we would get…

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MONDKOPF @ PANTIERO FESTIVAL

Aug 17th, 10 / 0 Comments

Back in the days of his Toulouse youth, Mondkopf was just a regular teenager trying to make some new beats with a computer and a whole lot of imagintation. Then he became part of the hugely influential Fluokids family (blog and label) and started to make a name for himself as a producer and remixer. With his remixes for bands such as The Golden Filter, The Teenagers, Caribou or Pony Pony Run Run, Mondkopf received major accolades from his peers and his fan base started growing bigger and bigger.

Pony Pony Run Run – Hey You (Mondkopf Remix) [download it HERE]

On the heels of his early hits, Mondkopf released his debut album, Galaxy of Nowhere, in 2009 on Citizen Records, label owned by cult electro artist Vitalic. With his crunchy beats, complex orchestrations and hypnotic synths, the young artist has developed his own unique sound, taking inspiration from the pioneers of experimental electronica such as Brian Eno, Phillip Glass and Vangelis, as well as innovative American Hip-Hop artists like Timbaland and Jay-Dee.

Mondkopf – La Dame En Bleu

A self-described daydreamer, Mondkopf is a beast behind the decks. His sets are usually intense and full of energy and his set at the Pantiero Music Festival was no exception. Blending together deep rhythms and soulful melodies, the French prodigy shows a peculiar vision of the dancefloor where strong sensations, emotions and futurism take command. Always in perfect synch with the audience, Mondkopf likes to make people react to his music both physically and mentally. His goal: to make people dance… and dream!

Mondkopf – Bones Club

Check out Mondkopf’s profile on MySpace for news and updates and purchase his music on Mondkopf

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FESTIVAL PANTIERO (Cannes – France)

Aug 11th, 10 / 0 Comments

At the height of summer, a quiet storm is brewing in the South of France. Bringing together the best of indie, rock and electro music, the Pantiero Music Festival is kicking off today in the sun-soaked city of Cannes!

Home to one of the oldest and most reputable film festivals in the world, the “Palais des Festivals” will be rocking to some of the freshest tunes around. So put on your dancing shoes, grab your sunglasses and follow umstrum||music every day from August 12 to 14 as we walk you through some of the highlights of this year’s festival!

For the 9th year in a row, the Pantiero Music Festival brings together a handpicked selection of artists from all over the world, playing all genres of music and catering to very different audiences. With one thing in common though: passion! Since 2002, the artists that have taken to the stage have consistently wowed fans and critics alike and for this new edition  expectations are high. With a lineup that includes Foals, Local Natives, Bot’Ox, Errors, Zombie Nation, Two Door Cinema Club, The Rapture and Mondkopf, Pantiero’s huge rooftop stage overlooking the Mediterranean will be at the center of this 4-day music extravaganza.

Foals – Astronauts and All (Barringtone Remix)

Join the party! Tune in tomorrow for some hot festival news and an exclusive interview with Local Natives.

Find more info about the festival HERE and buy tickets online HERE.

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GENERAL ELEKTRIKS – GOOD CITY FOR DREAMERS (Electro/Lounge/Hip Hop – France)

Aug 9th, 10 / 0 Comments

Hervé Salters is the artist behind one-man-band General Elektriks. A French keyboardist with a self-confessed passion for vintage keyboards, Hervé Salters initiated General Electrics just before moving to San Francisco. Using a computer and his oldschool keys, he started sowing together loops, Funky keyboards, light melodies and digital noises.

General Elektriks – Take Back The Instant

Also part of the band Honeycut, Salters released his sophomore album as General Elektriks last year to wide acclaim. The new album, Good City For Dreamers, is the follow up to GE’s debut album Cliquety Kliqk. The production here is polished and the songs are just as well crafted as on GE’s debut. Hervé Salters’ new offering is a quirky mix of retro funk, New Wave-inspired indie rock and glitchy electronica that oscillates between moments of quiet contemplation, melancholy and clap-happy euphoria.

General Elektriks – Raid the Radio (Lazy Uprise Mix)

If you like what you hear, head over to MySpace to listen to more music or check out the official website. Buy the album on General

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saturday nite with… YUKSEK

Aug 7th, 10 / 3 Comments

French-born DJ, producer and remixer Yuksek (aka Pierre-Alexandre Busson) has been collecting an ever-growing halo of buzz in the past couple of years. Originally signed to Birdy Nam Nam’s label, he has crafted some of the hottest remixes released in the first half of 2010. His work includes remixes for by The Kaiser Chiefs, M83, Gorillaz, Bot’Ox, Peaches, Siriusmo, Teenage Bad Girl, Van She, Chromeo, Adam Kesher… and the list goes on!

A classically-trained pianist, Yuksek spent his adolescence practicing piano several hours a day at music school but couldn’t seem to reconcile this routine with his love of pop music.  Indeed, his childhood was spent listening to The Beatles and Gainsbourg and he was later drawn to the early West Coast rap and stunned in his early secondary school years by Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.

Yuksek – So Far Away From The Sea (The Twelves Remix)

This variety of influences is what you can find on his debut album, Away From The Sea, released in 2009. Now Yuksek’s problem may be his desire to put a little bit of everything in the mix. While his beats and production are both impressive, the album as a whole falls somewhat short of expectations. There is still plenty of good material on the album and it’s a credible debut effort for an artist who sure as hell has plenty to offer.

Yuksek – Supermenz (We’re Not)

For more info, visit Yuksek on MySpace. Buy his music on Yuksek

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BOT’OX – BABYLON BY CAR (Electronic/PostPunk – France)

Aug 3rd, 10 / 3 Comments

French electronic duo Bot’Ox is Benjamin Boguet (aka Cosmo Vitelli) and Julien Briffaz (half of Tekël), two musicians and producers brought together by a passion for music in general and a nostalgia for the long-lost golden age of the industrial era. After a few critically acclaimed singles, released on labels as essential as DFA, I’m a Cliché, DC Recordings or Marketing, the duo is gearing up for the release of their first full-length album, Babylon By Car, next October on Parisian label I’m A Cliche.

The album presents a selection of newly edited songs from the past and a handful of new tunes. On the one hand, the older tracks offer a glimpse of the dark and slightly vicious side of Bot’Ox, as in the post-apocalyptic title track which was first released two years ago on Death From Above. On the other, the new songs reveal a new side of the duo’s personality: mellower but still quite unsettling with their (false) monotony.

Bot’OX – Rue De l’Arsenal (Yuksek Remix)

Babylon By Car counts with a few first class guest vocalists. The song “Tout Passe, Tout Lasse, Tout Casse” is sung by Judy Nylon, half of the cult band Snatch, from the No Wave New York of the late 70’s. “Slow Burning,” at the end of the album, features Mark Kerr, also on “Tragedy Symphony” and “Blue Steel” is glorified by the toneless voice of Anna Jean, from the band Domingo.

Bot’Ox – Blue Steel

Far from your usual musical canons and re-hashed structures, Bot’Ox do their own thing, giving birth to greatly personal music. Like the last tracking shot in a movie, Babylon By Car exudes both melancholy and hope. Built on this ambiguity between nostalgia and modernity, between pop and post-punk, electronica and rock, past and future, the duo’s first LP is a journey into its creators psyche. Buckle up and drive safely!

You can show Bot’Ox some love on MySpace and buy most of their music online at Bot'Ox

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MADJO – TRAPDOOR (Folk/Acoustic – France)

Jul 27th, 10 / 0 Comments

Ever since the release of her self-titled debut EP in November 2009, Madjo‘s star has been shining brighter and brighter and she might well turn out to be one of this year’s major breakthrough artists in France. With her warm voice and delicate melodies, the young singer songwriter has been mesmerizing audiences night after night in concert halls all around the country. Constantly on the road, Madjo sees her songs as moving pieces that evolve with time and she takes advantage of her concerts to touch them up, improve them and let them live.

Influenced by contemporary artists such as Beck, Calexico, The Shins, Beirut, Anja Garbarek or Sufjan Stevens, but also music legends such as Johnny Cash, Billie Hollyday or The Beatles, Madjo is a classically-trained violinist but she decided to switch to guitar a few years ago when she started composing. But the instrument that stands out in her compositions is her voice. Reminiscent of the great female voices in jazz music, Madjo’s warm and honest voice delivers heartfelt lyrics that always hit home.

Madjo – Where Did You Sleep Last Night

Madjo is currently working on her debut album, Trapdoor, which will be out in September. In the meantime, get her tour dates her official site and listen to more of her tracks on MySpace (check out the amazing “Leaving My Heart”). Buy her debut EP on Madjo


MADJO Acoustic & Interview

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JUNESEX – SEX IN TIMES OF WAR (Electronica/LoFi – France)

Jul 3rd, 10 / 0 Comments

Junesex is a Parisian electro outfit active since the beginning of the 2000s. Leaving the thumping basslines and big beats to others, Junesex cultivate a sound that is more subdued and minimal. They still manage to incorporate a wide variety of genres in their new album, Sex In Times Of War,  which has tunes that cover all the ground from the high energy electronica of “Eye Of The Tiger” to the more sedate and contemplative “Worst Than Love”.

The latter is a pure jewel of chilled electronica. Built on nuances and subtleties, this track is as simple as it is efficient with its straightforward piano chords, sexy breathy vocals and implacable beat.

Junesex – Worst Than Love

Junesex – Eye of the tiger

Junesex first came to public knowledge in 2004, with the their debut album, So Fucking Chic, self-produced and released on their own label Junesex International Airlines. They toured French and European clubs, bringing their sound of love and lust to the crowds.

They kept experimenting and perfecting their sound over the next five years and released a handful of EPs. Finally, 2009 saw the release of their highly awaited sophomore album Sex In Times Of War. Still surfing between different musical styles, the band instills sex in their lyrics but it’s never raunchy or provocative. The music is great, the lyrics are playful and the result as a whole is definitely worth a listen.

Find out more about Junesex and grab some free tunes on their official site or check them out on MySpace. You can buy their album Sex In Times Of War and the Worst Than Love EP on Junesex

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HOUSSE DE RACKET – OH YEAH! (Electro/Funk/Pop – France)

Jun 25th, 10 / 1 Comment

Welcome to the world of Housse De Racket! This Paris-based electro duo released their first album, Forty Love, at the end of last year and they are now dropping their new bombastic single “Oh Yeah!”.

Housse De Racket – Oh Yeah! (Barretso Remix)

“Oh Yeah!” is backed with a solid collection of knockout remixes from the likes of Barretso, Walter Sobcek, Jensen Sportag, Hidden Cat, DJ Tonka or Nighty Max. There’s such a plethora of new remixes of their single that Housse De Racket will release not one but two remix EPs. The first EP will be out on July 4th (with two bonus remixes of their previous single “Synthétiseur”) and the second on July 11th (with a bonux remix of the track “Sur Le Papier”).

Housse De Racket – Synthetiseur (Kill The Hero Dub Mix)

Showcasing the band’s signature soul-fused electro funkpop, which has already found a fan in none other than Kanye West, “Oh Yeah!” is the perfect introduction to the entertaining duo’s sound that Dazed & Confused described as “catchy and unconventional”.

Housse De Racket – Oh Yeah! (Hidden Cat Remix)

Housse De Racket have toured the world, supporting the likes of Foals, Phoenix, Friendly Fires, Yelle and Jamie Liddell. Summer shows are planned to support the upcoming releases.  Watch Housse De Racket’s page on MySpace for details.

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HYPNOLOVE – EUROLOVE (ElectroPop/Disco – France)

Jun 24th, 10 / 0 Comments

Born in the south of France and driven by heavy italo disco influences, Hypnolove want to make you dance! Their weapon: irresistibly kitsch electro/disco tracks!

Signed to Record Makers (with label mates including Air, Kavinsky and Sebastien Tellier), Thierry Moreira, Henning Specht and Nicolas Sentenac released their debut in 2006. This collection of twelve tracks has songs in Portuguese, German, French, Italian and English, songs to make you dance at slow pace, slam pace, techno pace, rocking… Sometimes outrageously silly, but always a lot of fun… Check out their track “Get To Know The Girl”, with Feist on guest vocals (here performing under the moniker Bitch Lap Lap).

Hypnolove – Get To Know The Girl (Feat. FEIST)

Eurolove encompasses the most varied styles but it’s above all a real disco thrill and an ode to love. Ready to assault dancefloors worldwide, Hypnolove show their mastery of electro culture and their deep-rooted love for pre-1990 pop music.

Hypnolove – Eurolove

Hypnolove have also produced a few noteworthy remixes for the likes of Sebastien Tellier, Showgirls or Siobhan Donaghy. Find out more about Hypnolove by checking their page on MySpace. Buy their album and remixes on Hypnolove

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