Les Rencards are a band based out of France which produce a garage rock-meets-yé-yé sound, made up of a Frenchman, a Brazilian and two Catalans, released by the erstwhile Groovie Records out of Portugal. Their sound is raw and authentic.
France
Various Artists – Pierre Barouh and the Saravah Sound
As I’ve been stewing over this release for well over a month now, it’s exciting to finally announce that today, this scorching compilation is finally available on vinyl and download from our friends at WeWantSounds. In fact, the only depressing thing about this gem is that I can’t hear it Continue Reading
Al-Qasar – Who Are We?
The bad news about the release of Al-Qasar’s new album is that there is currently only one track available to hear at the moment. The good news, however, is that it features Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo as well as Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra. From the band’s Bandcamp site: Continue Reading
Donny Vegas – Pharmakós
It seems like Donny Vegas has been listening to all the right post-punk records for my taste. One can hear influences of early Cabaret Voltaire, Suicide, a touch of Throbbing Gristle, and yet, by some odd miracle, it sounds both fresh and lo-fi. A quirky release, but I like this. Continue Reading
Internal Fusion – IWWA
I suppose we can coin a new term for this magnificent music out of Breton dark ambient composer Eric Latteux (who composed under the name Internal Fusion): Kosmische dark ambient. I seem to be finding a fair amount of music like this these days, and our dear friends at Mahorka have Continue Reading
Various Artists – La Souterraine: Vallée du Don
La Souterraine are one of France’s coolest indie labels. They frequently release compilations of alternative music influenced by chanson, bedroom pop and post-punk. Some of the ditties on offer are almost Beatlesque in their pop perfection. Vallée du Don is one I stumbled upon, but the whole catalog is worth Continue Reading
Boztown – In Memory of Freedom
This was a pleasant surprise. I’m new to Boztown, a trip-hop band out of France, and they have a warm, dark, rather crusty sound to them.
Vtoroy Etazh Porazhayet – Kraynosty
Vtoroy Etazh Porazhayet (2nd Floor is Striking) are a Moscow post-punk outfit, and it seems both Russia and Belarus are producing a lot of these days. They are released by the French record label Belka Records. Their sound will appeal strongly to those who are into the post-punk renaissance of Continue Reading
Antiq – Ilbeltz / Hanternoz / Anceisural Eritance – D’Anjou en Vasconie
This was a combination I didn’t expect. It’s not uncommon for, say, black metal musicians to integrate their music into pagan folk and make a good hybrid, but this is something different. Antiq combine soaring traditional Basque and Breton vocals with a proper metal backing, and somehow, by some strange Continue Reading
H.J. Ayala – Le Corps Sacré
This is the second guitar-based album we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing this week. This one comes from Mexican-French guitarist Hector (H.J.) Ayala who works out of Strasbourg, France. The album is a gentle, twangy, pleasantly meandering collection of tones which belong to a film which has not yet been Continue Reading