Police des Moeurs Interview

Here is the original French interview.

The content of your texts, your name Police des Moeurs, you can tell us more about your evocative universe?

I am fascinated by everything related to control, not in a strict police sense, but by everything guiding our habits in a way to adopt a so-called “normal” and “useful” behavior for the society. The Police des Moeurs, for myself, is the insidious one in our heads that is unconsciously driving us do not deviate from the norm, be it a social norm or a norm in a more marginal group.

This fascination is also expressed in our texts, along with other topics: nostalgia and the passage of time, the illusion of rebellion, loss of ideals, the absence of emotion.

How did you start composing / songwriting in duo?

In fact, to date, I wrote all the texts and composed all the music. But I do not like to sing and I do not sing very well. Anouk is a very good long time friend and we had worked together in another project. So I asked her to join for vocals.

After, Fred joined us to get ready for concerts. I wanted a geek that can deal with machines and stuff because I have less interest in this technical aspect. After a few concerts, Catherine joined the three of us. Eventually, the fact that I now work with other members will probably affects the way the songs are written.

Read more…

Posted on November 10th, 2012 under Interviews,

La Forme Lente: Bonjour Tristesse- On Not Knowing Who We Are

You will probably remember Bonjour Tristesse from the Circuit d’Actes compilation, on which they contributed the fabulous “Partners In Crime”.

The Swedish act is back on La Forme Lente with a first full-length album and 9 tracks of excellent synth-pop with Italo undercurrents, showing a sequencing mastery worth the likes of David Harrow or Vince Clarke. The atmosphere oscillates between dreamy neo-romantic and pulsating dance-floor efficiency.

The perfect music for a nightly drive along deserted suburbian streets…

Posted on August 10th, 2012 under Releases, ,

Ame de Boue- L’Inconfort Neccesaire

Ame de Boue is the solo project from Datz, a member of Dolina and the man behind Spielzeug Muzak. If you never heard of anything from Dolina yet, you must go listen to some of their material right now. This French project is still keeping me totally fascinated since I first discovered them in 2009.

To speak of Ame de Boue, this is the debut album and only 250 copies were released on Treue Um Treue, in February.

Soundwise, I was pleased to find back some elements from Dolina but the obscure madness was pushed a bit further. I got stunned by the diversity and the beauty of the sounds that seems to be mixed and arranged with real magic. As others often reuse the same type of classic analog sounds, there is much more originality to be found here.

Musically, most of the album has some sort of bizarre carnivalesque ambiance, making me dreaming of clowns dancing on barrel organ music. The spooky theme, from the beginning to the end, really stirred me deep inside.

Out of 15 songs, my favorite title is definitely L’Inconfort Néccésaire (live and very different version). The beat stays on a slow tempo but near the end, It’s Fun to be Dead also kicks in with a danceable song using a distorted rhythm over a killer bassline.

The intro and the first 2 songs are written in French, 5 are in English and the rest is instrumental. The vocals are sang or spoken in some kind of simple and modest way that really makes them shine. At other times, wicked effects are also used over vocals for more experimental passages.

Why only 250 copies were printed? Given the quality of the music, I think it is a big nonsense but to be selfish, I am very glad to own my copy of this limited edition. It seems that Ame de Boue and Dolina aren’t much into self-promotion. Just search online and you won’t find their page on any stupid social network. I found it relieving after wondering what’s the matter with so many artists and so-called marginals, using private mainstream medias without much consciousness.

Certainly, L’Inconfort Nécéssaire will pass the test of time as I have no doubt its intemporal originality will make it a priceless collector item.

Also worth mentioning, you should check out Illustrations Sonores, a new and very promising project from Datz and Froe Char.

L’Inconfort Néccésaire on Discogs

Posted on July 7th, 2012 under Reviews, ,

Cosensation’s Scrap Mag Mixtape

[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/thescrapmag/the-scrap-mag-mixtape-by-la-forme-lente[/soundcloud]

0’00 – Circa Tapes – Eleven Doors
5’35 – MAKiNA GiRGiR – Смешной Человек (Homme Ridicule) – From the upcoming LP on La Forme Lente
9’01 – Bonjour Tristesse – Transition (premaster vinyl) – Release on La Forme Lente + Concerts in June 2012 (Paris 1st, Strasbourg 2nd, Bruxelles 7th)
13’06 – Cargo – 80 Yards
16’59 – Enrique Iceglass – Cheryl Clone (pre-Lebanon Hanover)
19’35 – Police des moeurs - Monde fallacieux (7″)
21’41 – Coco Solid – Architecture
24’03 – Cyan Kid – The Vote (w/ Allie) (Remastered by Sam Underbahns)
27’58 – Ruble Gang - Silver Plane
30’57 – Új Látásmód Fúzió – A jövőnek dedikálva (KHK01 – C20 cassette lim 100 copies)
33’14 – TODOTODO – Respuesta Alternativa -  (Release date May 21 on Domestica)
36’11 – Asmodaeus – Buchenwald
38’38 – Extent – Go!
40’39 – Tranquil Eyes – Innocence (re-issue on OnderStroom Records)
44’47 – Fasenuova – cachito turulo
48’28 – K.rotte – Inside-Outside – From lim ed 100 copies (Color LP + bonus Cd) Frogmania on Plastic Frog Records
51’30 – Brotman & Short – Fell Pastures – (The final song from their upcoming Distance Unknown CS on Chondritic Sound)

Posted on May 19th, 2012 under Mixes, ,

Lebanon Hanover- The World Is Getting Colder

Hailing from the UK,  The World Is Getting Colder is the debut LP from Lebanon Hanover, a duo formed of William Maybelline and Larissa Iceglass.

It came out in February as the 5th release from Fabrika Record. Before that, you might have heard Kunst that appeared on Monosynth and they also released a split cassette with La Fête Triste on aufnahme + wiedergabe, in September 2011.

The first song, Die World, starts up with an harmony from Bauhaus’s classic Bela Lugosi’s Dead, to quickly bring us into the mood for the bewitching ambiance that follows up.

In its whole, Lebanon Hanover are using distorted guitars, bass guitars, sporadic synthesizers and a drum machine to create a cold and minimal aesthetic, all structured in a very shiny way. Their haunting vocals highlighted in wide reverberations, which didn’t fail to rock my guts more than once, are adding a nice touch of warmness. Mixing a bunch of efficient elements from the past into their sauce, I think Lebanon Hanover still innovated with a very distinct sound.

Just listen to Totally Tot where things are getting pretty mad with this earth shaking rhythm and deep pounding bass line. I have no doubt it is going to hit the dance floors like a ton of bricks!

The World Is Getting Colder is still available on Fabrika Records store.

Posted on April 16th, 2012 under Reviews, ,