ENGLISH TEXTS
MUSIQUE
MAES- TRO!
� PAGE 121 by Serge Okey
Polo & Pan“ 22:22” The only“ Frenchy” to perform at Coachella( California), Polo & Pan conquered the world— and America— with their second album Caravelle and the hit“ Canopée.” The electro duo with tropical flavors is heading off on another musical journey, carrying some heavy collaborations in its luggage: half of the twelve tracks feature guests, including Metronomy, Beth Ditto( lead singer of Gossip), and Arthur Teboul( voice of Feu! Chatterton). This voyage through electro, pop, and disco takes a well-executed turn and ranks among the season’ s best listens— though it stops short of reaching timeless heights. The Polo & Pan signature is vibrant in tracks like“ Laszlo” and“ Paréidolies,”“ Petite Étoile” is catchy, but this third LP, without an obvious hit, calls for a few replays before it truly reveals itself.
Poni Hoax“ Greatest Hits: everything is real” Poni Hoax is a breathless“ pony hoax.” A band that, over a decade( 2006 to 2017) and four albums, pushed French electronic rock to its peak. A cult quintet, hailed by fans of Joy Division, Talking Heads, and even David Bowie. Four years after the death of its lead singer Nicolas Ker, this best-of feels a bit like a eulogy. More than anything, it reminds us of the weight of this band’ s legacy, which had the brilliant idea to fuse cold wave sounds with the codes of disco. From the unstoppable“ Antibodies” to the ultra-sensual“ Budapest,” Poni Hoax enters a dancefloor trance with rare elegance. Three previously unreleased tracks(“ Down on Serpent Street,”“ Jesus Told Me Too,” and“ Country Leaser”) enrich this impeccably remastered Greatest Hits, oscillating between melancholy and idealism, fever and bliss.
Arvo Pärt“ Tabula Rasa” The most performed living composer in the world, the pope of contemporary music was honored in late April at the Philharmonie de Paris, during one of four concerts celebrating the incredible ECM catalog— an iconic label in jazz, classical, and contemporary music alike. On that note, it’ s impossible not to mention Tabula Rasa, a landmark album reissued last year, composed in 1977 by the Estonian master, whose influence on music history invites comparisons with impressionism or cubism. A shift often described as minimalist, and rightly so, it features two violins alongside a prepared piano( its sound altered by objects placed on the strings) and a string orchestra. Repetitive notes, suspended silences, emotional harmonies. The music takes its time— and Arvo Pärt defines his era in the manner of a true revolutionary.
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