Desire Records: AV – Venus Bar
French Cold Wave was divided in two camps: on one side you had the underground dogs that were inspired by bands like Joy Division, The Cure, Virgin Prunes… represented by acts like Guerre Froide, Les Maîtres, Opera Multi Steel, etc. And there was the poppier/synth side with artists like Taxi Girl, Octobre, Martin Dupont, Deux, Celluloid bands (Mathematiques Modernes, Nini Raviolette, Suicide Romeo…).
AV is definitively inspired by the second ones: the energy rush of the post-punk era with a synth-pop touch and great sense of melodies. AV is the work of young French artist Adrien Viot and Venus Bar his first release.
Rather than lighting candles to his old 80’s glory he prefers to invite them inside the chaos of his generation. The synth from Suicide, Kraftwerk’s DNA & Taxi Girl are tatooed in AV, but he’s far from being one of those 80s revival nostalgia project, his production is current, dirty but rigorous all this helping his cheeky texts.
AV describes Paris and his own spiritual wandering. Often carnal and vicious, his texts have something from Serge Gainsbourg meets French cult singer Christophe.