Kill the Pain, Powersolo

How ’bout a li’l twangin’ madness for your ears? This team up between Kill the Pain (=Melanie Pain & Phoebe Killdeer, also in Nouvelle Vague) and Danish band Powersolo sounds like the soundtrack to a long hard drive through the dusty plains. Play loud!

a2ele

From December 2024, this EP by a2ele (Adele). Recently heard a track on FIP Radio. A2ele is a French singer/producer who counts Mylene Farmer, Rihanna and Kate Bush among her favorites. She first released music via Soundcloud, now there are a handful singles and this EP. It’s mostly electronic, there are 80s synthpop references, it’s dreamy, sometimes danceable and always sweet. Try this:

Fine Food Market

This track is so delicate, you almost have to wear gloves while listening to it. Such a gorgeous voice. That sixties, bass-heavy tempo. The misty horns! The strings! Tis the only French track on an EP by Montreal-based Sophie Perras, aka Fine Food Market. VERY up our petite rue:

Thanks to Marco Raaphorst for pointing me to FFM.

Choses Sauvages & Lysandre

Very sweet team-up of Canadian indie-demigods Choses Sauvages and honey-voiced singer Lysandre. Sunny & dreamy:

Terrain Vague

No, tis not THIS Terrain Vague we’re talking about, no ‘power grind, violent punk’ on this blog. It’s this happy duo. French duo Vincent & Marion shared a love for Jacno, Bonnie Banane and Michel Berger, and started making music. The bandname that isn’t mentioned is Stereolab, which is odd ’cause the British band is all over the music of Terrain Vague (even the bandname could be a Stereolab songtitle). In any case, all good references, no? Really dig their new EP, check out the older singles too.

Yzoula

Former La Femme-singer Yzoula takes a solo-trip (with help from producer Louis Fontaine) for these gorgeous retro-songs. Album coming up:

Kacimi & Wendy Martinez

Kacimi is a producer who loves the sixties sounds, and makes music with several guest singers. His latest track is with Wendy Martinez, who was featured on this blog a few times. The result is a psych rocking, kaleidoscopic track. Bring out the heavy eyeliner:

Spill Tab

The reason I missed previous spill tab hits, might be because the Thai-born, French-American singer only sang songs in English. But now, signed to Because Music (Charlotte Gainsbourg, Justice, Christine & the Queens), she debuts in French. Her new album, called Angie, contains at least two French songs. Assis is a spectacular slab of sultry soul, with a very cool Fender Rhodes piano solo:

Les Passagers

Baroque/chamber pop from Montreal, by Les Passagers = Andréanne Muzzo & Nicolas Ferron Geoffroy. Active since 2013, they combine Françoise Hardy, modern psych and bands like Broadcast, Stereolab and the like. From the new EP, this colourful, Motown-tempo track:

Poligone

Poligone is a Franco-Swiss duo (Pauline & Hugo) who found each other because they both likes Flavien Berger, L’Imperatrice and chanteuse Barbara. They’ve been making singles since 2021. Their latest track refers to the golden age of synthpop/80s teen movie soundtracks; if you’re into Videoclub and Niagara, give this track a spin. EP is coming up, another track on Bandcamp.