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C O L L E C T I O N 5

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MUSICAlbum preview by Bénédicte Lelong

Artist: Château MarmontAlbum: The MazeGenre: Electro-Pop, SynthpopLabel: Chambre404Origin: FranceRelease Date: May 2013Members: Raphael Vialla, Julien Galinier, Guillaume De Maria

At a time when the French electronic/synthpop scene needed to take a serious break from all the pseudo and oftentimes overrated “big names” (not usually my thing to point fingers but… Phoenix, Daft Punk, anyone??), Château Marmont’s timing appeared to be quite perfect. The Maze is Château Marmont’s debut album. Its fresh 70’s synthpop sound will seduce you from the start with their “Ouverture”. Contrary to what you might think, these guys are no newbies. They’ve been around since 2005, remixing artists like LaRoux. By the way, make yourself a huge favour

and go listen to their version of Quicksand. Pre-tty sweet, if you ask me. I’ll confess that I didn’t know these guys from Adam. At first I didn’t even know they were French, much less what kind of music they were making. They got me at their band’s name, “Château Mar-mont”. I mean, come on, even if you’ve never set foot in this WeHo institution, you have to have at least heard of it. From John Belushi to Sofia Coppola and more recently Lindsay Lohan, you know damn well what Château Marmont brings to mind: Hollywood, baby! Images started rushing through my head… So yeah, that was enough for me give this French trio a chance. Proof that sometimes you just need to go with your gut. Oh and a band’s name isn’t to be taken lightly, as it can go a long way to attract listeners into your net (I plead guilty). From now on, I have my eyes on them. Can’t wait to hear what they’ll do next! Must-hear tracks: The Fall & Decline of the Human Empire, The Maze, Receive And Follow

Iconic American guru of pop Dick Clark once said “Music is the soundtrack of our lives”. Music IS everywhere. We eat it for breakfast, breathe it on the dance floors and live it 24/7, MP3 players firmly glued to our ears. An eclectic listener‘s paradise, our Musik Laden‘s motto is simple: “Open ears, open mind”. Satisfaction guaranteed.

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Artist: David LynchAlbum: The Big DreamGenre: Electronica, Experimental RockLabels: Sacred Bones (US), Sunday Best (EU)Origin: USARelease Date: July 2013Members: David Lynch

Artist: AlunaGeorgeAlbum: Body Music

Genre: Electronic, Pop, R’n’BLabel: Island

Origin: UKRelease Date: July 2013

Members: Aluna Francis, George Reid

Coyotes… babies… shotguns… dreams… the moon… heartbreak… Right off the bat, I had a feeling. The Big Dream, David Lynch’s second studio album was gonna be a bit strange (in the best way possible). Scratch that, it was going to be 100% Lynchian… well, almost like a big dream. Knowing some of his work as a director (I H.A.T.E.D. Eraserhead but L.O.V.E.D. Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive, the latter for reasons I still can’t to this day fully comprehend much less explain), I wasn’t exactly taken by surprise. If you’re not familiar with Lynch’s films, chances are The Big Dream will be a bit off-putting. Even though you might not “get” everything that is said on this almost spoken word record, you’ll appreciate how it sounds after a few listens. And if you happen to have a sweet spot for experimental rock/electronica, it’s an absolute must-have. Lynch’s nasal delivery makes the whole thing sound even weirder than it already is. Not gonna lie though: this man’s got skills. It’s simple: from track 1 The Big Dream feels like you’re stuck inside a David Lynch movie (or David Lynch’s head). Lynch can be obscure, his work often crazy, unsettling, profoundly enigmatic yet disturbing(ly beautiful). What dreams are made of… In order for you to ease into The Big Dream, first go watch the minimalist video clip for “I’m waiting here” a bo-nus track featuring Lykke Li. A road, one of Lynch’s most prominent symbols throughout his films (Lost Highway comes to mind), spreads before our eyes, an infinite strip of asphalt running through dry and deserted lands, probably somewhere in the Mojave Desert. If this doesn’t do the trick and prep you for the Lynch Dimension that is this album, I honestly don’t know what will… Must-hear tracks: The Big Dream, The Line It Curves, I’m Waiting Here

You know what they say: your body is a temple, treat it accordingly? Well, when it comes to worshipping your body and treating it like a temple, you should listen to what Voltaire has to say (wut?). I’m dead serious, though. Start with your ear, which is, according to this wise gentleman “the avenue to the heart”. You honestly can’t go wrong tre-ating your ears with AlunaGeorge’s debut album. Its soulful goodness is ear candy. Period. George Reid R’n’B infused beats are addictive, and Aluna Francis’ sweet vocals are the cherry on top. If you are into that kind of sound and were desperately looking for something that would not sound like processed-cheese, sorry, I meant manufactured-and-unoriginal-noise-with-a-lot-of-attitude-but-not-much-else, don’t look any further. FYI, AlunaGeorge made it to #2 on the shortlist of the “Sound of 2013” BBC poll, right behind the Haim sisters. In the end, luck’s got nothing to do with AlunaGeorge’s popular success. Talent does. Proof that the duo’s rapid breakthrough is not a coincidence. They’re here to stay. All I know is, this record is what my body had been craving for all these years. Sure hits the spot. Damn, these Brits sure know how to make good music, don’t they? (Watch your backs, Canadians!) Body music was my jam this summer –as it was, I suspect, for many other music lovers out there. And although winter is (al-most) right around the corner, it’s no reason to put that kind of sound on the back burner and start flooding your ears with Xmas tunes just yet! Some say Aluna Francis is Aaliyah’s rightful successor, or rather what Aaliyah would have sounded like if she hadn’t left us so prematurely. You be the judge of that. Must-hear tracks: Lost & Found, Just a Touch, You Know You Like It

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Artist: aMinusAlbum: OptionsGenre: Electro-Pop, SynthpopLabel: NeoprenOrigin: GermanyRelease Date: October 2013Member: Valentin Plessy

aMinus is Valentin Plessy, one third of Berlin-based French electro act Plateau Repas. I’ve never had the plea-sure of meeting aMinus face-to-face, but I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that this guy is sex on legs. I can’t usually control (much less change) the way I’m first going to respond to a particular artist or album, and maybe it’s because I’m a girl, maybe not, but damn it if I don’t like to get my (musical) kicks listening to a guy who obviously knows how to use his organ (pun DEFINITELY intended). A friend of mine introduced me to him recently and I honestly couldn’t get past his voice. It just drew me in. Sometimes when you’re new to an artist, a genre, an album or even just a song, you need some time to get in the zone, some sort of a guiding light, a je-ne-sais-quoi that’s gonna warn your brain that this is it, The Stuff. Good Stuff. Plessy’s voice does take center stage on Options, his sophomore record. Not that I’m complaining. Why? It just oozes self-confidence. It’s strong, sexy, powerful and yes, ultimately you just can’t get enough. Like the album itself, it’s grounded and relatable (special mention to “Sick Twis-ted Fuck” for its raw, in-your-face honesty). aMinus kinda reminds me of Diamond Rings on his latest album, Free Dimensional. There’s much worse, if you ask me. The lyrics are pretty straightforward: love, relationships, life… who can’t identify with that? As for the music, if you’re a fan of electro and synthpop, it will be love at first listen, as they say. Nothing too fancy, but it sure as hell gets the job done. Satisfaction guaranteed. Bottom line: aMinus deserves a nice big A+ for Options (you must have seen that one coming from a mile away, so for once I’m not apologizing). Must-hear tracks: Cool Down, Don’t Mind Me Now,I Can Try

Artist: The LimousinesAlbum: Hush

Genre: Indietronica, Electronic Rock Label: Self-produced

Origin: USARelease Date: June 2013

Members: Eric Victorino, Giovanni Giusti

HUSH and listen up!The first time I saw The Limousines live was quite some time ago in Paris. The best part? For the life of me I can’t seem to remember what band they were opening for… that’s how good this Bay Area duo truly is! OK so the mega-phone they used and their radiating (and madly contagious) energy on stage might have something to do with my not so temporary lapse in memory… Hush is The Limousines’ second LP. It’s also a label-free, self-produced (in part thanks to a hella successful Kickstarter campaign) little gem of an indietronic rock record. Whatever you do, be sure to watch the video for Love Is a Dog From Hell, their first single. Whether you like boys or girls (or both!), you’ll be able to relate: love is a b*tch. Hush is solid from beginning to end. It acts like a catharsis, exploring the ups and downs of relationships with great beats and an addictive flow, forcing you to con-front your feelings head on –preferably while dancing like a mad man/woman. Yes, Hush will make you wanna move your body. I tested that part for you as well. I’m usually not a dancer, but even I couldn’t help it. Yeah, picture me in the heart of a summer heat wave, writing this review while dancing my *ss off… F.U.N. I swear!) Last but not least, Victorino and Giusti are so dedicated to their fanbase that if you go to their website right now, you can (almost) order yourself some Limousines to go. For real. So bring them to your town, why don’t you? Video clips and digital albums are just fine, but you haven’t really had the full Limousines experience until you’ve been to one of their shows. Trust me. Must-hear tracks: Bedbugs, Wrecking Ball, Hush

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Artist: CFCFAlbum: Music For ObjectsGenre: ElectronicLabel: Paper Bag RecordsOrigin: CanadaRelease Date: July 2013Members: Michael Silver

Let’s skip the chitchat and begin at the beginning i.e. the title of this album: “Music For Objects”. Yes, each of the 8 tracks that comprise CFCF’s 6th EP is named after an object. Nope, CFCF, aka Michael Silver (yet another Canadian), probably didn’t make this record while having breakfast (a BOWL of cereals and a GLASS of milk, thank you), his KEYS in his pocket, a CAMERA strapped around his neck, a LAMP shining in the background, PERFUME permeating the air… Silver is another one of these über-talented artists whose multi-layered and incredibly cinematic creations have an almost immediate effect on me (and hopefully very soon on you too). His music, for some possibly quite obscure rea-son, never fails to make me feel closer to my surroundings. Nature… my desk, my mug, my pen, my notebook even. Somehow you feel connected, in tune with your world. It’s a weird sensation, a whole body experience. It just makes you feel things, you know? The piano? The sax? You can’t always pinpoint exactly what you love about a particular track, but you just do. Ever had that feeling? It’s like a chemical reaction that happens when a given sound travels from your ears to your brain. Not exactly something that can easily be explained or described. If this experimental, part house-y (Keys) part jazzy (Ca-mera) EP is any indication –and if it was ultimately up to me- I’d put Silver on a pedestal next to composers of Philip Glass’ caliber. Also, I secretly want him to, someday, re-cord the entire soundtrack to a film, any film. Sooner rather than later. I’m pretty sure that even if the movie turns out to be a monumental crapfest, in the end it won’t be, but only because CFCF made the music. Must-hear tracks: Bowl, Keys, Ring

Artist: Soft MetalsAlbum: Lenses

Genre: ElectronicLabel: Captured Tracks

Origin: USARelease Date: July 2013

Members: Patricia Hall, Ian Hicks

Never heard of boy-girl synthpop duo Soft Lenses? Curious to know what they sound like? My advice: “forget” (but not really) about the title track and go straight to song #8, Interobserver. The close-to-8-minutes instrumental track off of the band’s second LP, is a thing of beauty and it plays like an endless rêverie. The kind that 1) seems never ending (duh) and that 2) you, as music freaks, don’t EVER want to end. Surely you’re familiar with South L.A.’s very busy freeway interchange, the one that looks like a gigantic knot? Well, press play, close your eyes and picture it at night from up above: the relentless comings and goings of cars, the sleep-lessness of the city as a whole. Yes, sometimes I do like to let my mind wander. The awesome news is, this record lends itself quite perfectly to musings of all sorts. The reason I’m talking about the City of Angels is because Lenses was born after Soft Metals relocated from Portland to L.A. If you like to abandon yourself to the music, to let go of all control, to let your imagination roam free, Lenses was made for you. Besides it’s basically how Hicks and Hall (a couple both on and off stage) came up with the album in the first place: jam sessions and improvisation. And that’s exactly why I have this almost physical attraction to 70’s and 80’s inspired synthpop, down tempo and electro-nic music in general: all you ever need to do is close your eyes and let yourself go. Completely. I’m so obsessed with Interobserver I could have written a whole spiel about how it makes me feel deep inside. Lucky for you I didn’t. Needless to say that if you like Portishead or The Chro-matics, giving Lenses a listen won’t take you too far out of your comfort zone. Au contraire, you’ll feel right at home. Must-hear tracks: Interobserver, No Turning Point, On a Cloud

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