Tag: Toulon France

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Laurent Squarta Shares John Carpenter Soundtrack-Like “The Dark Wave of The Blob”

Laurent Squarta is a Toulon, France-born multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer, who like countless young folks across the globe, became obsessed with music around the time he turned 13. His earliest musical loves were Depeche Mode, The Cure and New Wave.

When he turned 16, he became more rebellious and developed an interest in skateboarding and skateboarding culture, as well as harder music, like Metallica, Megadeth and Sepultura.

Hypnotized by these sounds, Squarta desperately wanted to make his own music. Earning money from small jobs, he brought a guitar and an amp — and with two friends, he started a punk rock band called ElectroGene. He also took lessons at Bordeaux’s Rock School Barbey, where he planed to play with other bands at small, local shows.

Back in 2012, following an installation in Rochefort, France, Squarta set up a music studio next to his house. He had received training in recording techniques and music production software, while becoming obsessed with the sonic possibilities offered by synthesizers. He brought new gear and found his sound inching closer to John Carpenter and the Stranger Things soundtrack.

After a few years of experimenting with his sound and approach and some rather strange personal experiences, the French artist gradually landed on Darkwave, seemingly inspired by horror and sci-fi films. Over the last handful of years, Squarta has reached out to horror movie critic YouTubers and short filmmakers to collaborator on soundtrack work.

His latest single is a song inspired by 1988’s Kurt Russell-starring The Blob. And fittingly, the eerie and brooding John Carpenter-like soundtrack-like “The Dark Wave of The Blob” features industrial clang and clatter, glistening synth oscillations, a relentless motorik groove and a blazing guitar line. The song perfectly compliments the accompanying edited film footage.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Toulon, France-based singer/songwriter, composer, producer and guitarist Pierre Grech has long been influenced by folk, indie rock, hip-hop, jazz, contemporary classical and electronica. Interestingly, the Toulon-based artist has had a lengthy career that can be traced back to the early 2000s: He was the frontman of experimental electronica act SLiDD — and around the same time, he co-wrote and arranged material on three Jen H. Ka albums. 

Both as a solo artist and bandleader, Grech has played shows across Paris and Southern France with re-arranged and re-imagined renditions of his material in several different iterations, including electro rock, acoustic, cello-guitar duo, rock trio and others. But over the past few years, Grech has been refining and honing his songwriting and compositional approach, and his guitar playing. This has resulted in his latest project,  _telemaque_,which finds the Toulon-based artist drawing from his long-held influences while crafting pop that’s energetic yet sensitive. 

Grech has been rather prolific over the past couple of years: Last year, he released his _telemaque_ debut June EP, which featured the OK Computer-era Radiohead-like, EP title track “June.” He followed that up with two more singles:

  • “December Sun,” which is supposed to appear on his full-length debut. Reportedly, the most rock-leaning song on the album, “December Sun” saw the French artist continuing to refine his sound and approach with the song still drawing from Radiohead but also nodding at krautrock and folk.
  • “Your liquid smile,” the breezy samba meets OK Computer/Kid A-era Radiohead-like single that features guest spots from Kentaro Suzuki (bass) and Joakim Toftgaard (trombone), and was centered around a loose yet hypnotic groove featuring a supple bass line and skittering beats, a looping guitar-driven melody and a mournful, modal trumpet line, which gives the song a wistful, nostalgic air. 

The French JOVM mainstay will be releasing a new EP, We see you when you don’t see us in Spring 2023. The EP’s first single “The Sailor” continues a run of gorgeous, folk-leaning indie rock centered around strummed guitar, Grech’s plaintive vocal, a gorgeous horn and string arrangements. “The Sailor,” which is inspired by The Odyssey and William Ernest Henley’s “Invictus, was written shortly before the birth of Grech’s third child — and is rooted in earnest yet metaphorical songwriting.

In the case of “The Sailor,” Grech uses the metaphor of a sailor, who has come through a storm and is sailing a calm sea. But the song is actually addressed as a message to his children, offering advice on how to live life — to appreciate life’s beauty, fragility in its joys and tribulations.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: _telemaque_ Celebrates Life’s Simple Pleasures in New Single

Pierre Grech is a Toulon, France-based singer/songwriter, composer, producer and guitarist, who has long been influenced by folk, indie rock, hip hop, jazz, contemporary classical and electronica. Grech began writing songs as a child but he can trace the origins of his music career to the early 2000s: He was the frontman of experimental electronica act SLiDD — and around the same time, he co-wrote and arranged material on three Jen H. Ka albums. 

As a solo artist and bandleader, Grech has played shows across Paris and Southern France with re-arranged and re-imagined renditions of his material in several different iterations including electro rock, acoustic, cello-guitar duo, rock trio and more. But over the past few years, the French singer/songwriter, guitarist, composer, arranger and producer has been refining and honing his songwriting and compositional approach, as well as his guitar playing. The end result is Grech’s latest project _telemaque_,which finds the Toulon-based artist drawing from his long-held influences while crafting pop that’s energetic yet sensitive. 

If you’ve been frequenting this site over the past year or so, you may recall that Grech’s _telemaque_ debut June EP, which featured the gorgeous, OK Computer-era Radiohead-like June last year.

His full-length debut _telemaque_ album is forthcoming — and the album features “December Sun,” which Greech says is the most rock-leaning song on the album. Interestingly, “December Sun” saw the French artist refining his overall sound and approach: While still drawing from Radiohead, the song subtly nods at krautrock and folk

Gre h’s latest _telemaque_ single, is the breezy samba meets OK Computer/Kid A-era Radiohead-like “Your liquid smile.” Featuring guest spots from Kentaro Suzuki (bass) and Joakim Toftgaard (trombone), “Your liquid smile” is centered around a loose yet hypnotic groove featuring a supple bass line and skittering beats, a looping guitar-driven melody and a mournful, modal trumpet line, which gives the song a wistful, nostalgic air.

“It’s a song on the theme of simple joys, as its title does not quite indicate,” Greech explains. “This piece has the sole ambition to please. Like a good dish of spaghetti with tomato sauce. You will see it with your ears.”

The accompanying video is shot on grainy, security camera-like VHS tape and follows someone making a simple dish of spaghetti and tomato sauce, complete with ingredients and instructions. It’ll make you hungry — while reminding you of life’s simple pleasures: a good meal, a good pint or a glass of wine, dear friends, a lovely song and so on.

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Pierre Grech is a Toulon, France-based singer/songwriter, composer, producer and guitarist, who has long been influenced by folk, indie rock, hip hop, jazz, contemporary classical and electronica. Grech began writing songs as a child but he can trace the origins of his music career to the early 2000s: He was the frontman of experimental electronica act SLiDD — and around the same time, he co-wrote and arranged material on three Jen H. Ka albums. 

As a solo artist and bandleader, Grech has played shows across Paris and Southern France with re-arranged and re-imagined renditions of his material in several different iterations including electro rock, acoustic, cello-guitar duo, rock trio and more. But over the past few years, the French singer/songwriter, guitarist, composer, arranger and producer has been refining and honing his songwriting and compositional approach, as well as his guitar playing. The end result is Grech’s latest project _telemaque_,which finds the Toulon-based artist drawing from his long-held influences while crafting pop that’s energetic yet sensitive.

Grech released his _telemaque debut EP June earlier this year. And as you might recall, the EP featured EP title track “June,” gorgeous track that brought OK Computer-era Radiohead and JOVM mainstays Husky to mind while featuring shimmering acoustic guitar, Greech’s plaintive falsetto, propulsive drumming and a soaring hook paired with earnest and accessible songwriting.

Greech’s _telemaque_ debut album Silent Creatures is forthcoming — but in the meantime, the album’s first single “December Sun” is what Greech says is the most rock leaning song on the album: shimmering guitar chords are paired with an insistent, throbbing groove, propulsive beats and a scorching guitar solo are paired with Greech’s plaintive vocals. Sonically, the song sees the French singer/songwriter refining his sound and approach. While bearing a resemblance to Radiohead, the song features a subtle nod at kraturock and folk.

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Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Pierre Grech is a Toulon, France-based singer/songwriter, composer, producer and guitarist, who has long been influenced by folk, indie rock, hip hop, jazz, contemporary classical and electronica. Grech began writing songs as a child but he can trace the origins of his music career to the early 2000s: He was the frontman of experimental electronica act SLiDD — and around the same time, he co-wrote and arranged material on three Jen H. Ka albums.

As a solo artist and bandleader, Grech has played shows across Paris and Southern France with re-arranged and re-imagined renditions of his material in several different iterations including electro rock, acoustic, cello-guitar duo, rock trio and more. But over the past few years, the French singer/songwriter, guitarist, composer, arranger and producer has been refining and honing his songwriting and compositional approach, as well as his guitar playing. The en result is Grech’s latest project _telemaque_, which finds the Toulon-based artist drawing from his long-held influences while crafting energetic and sensitive pop.

Grech’s _telemaque_ debut, June EP was released last Wednesday and the EP’s latest single, EP title track “June” is a gorgeous and deliberately crafted track featuring shimmering acoustic guitar, Grech’s plaintive falsetto, propulsive drumming and a soaring hook. And while sonically bringing OK Computer-era Radiohead and JOVM mainstays Husky to mind, the song is centered around earnest lyricism and accessible, pop-leaning songwriting.

Beyond the recording of the album, a collaboration with New York artist Dani Choi is underway to illustrate each track on the album.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: Hifiklub Teams Up with Roddy Bottum on a Hypnotic and propulsive take on an 80s Smash Hit

Since their formation back in 2006, the Toulon, France-based experimental trio Hifiklub have developed and honed a creative approach centered around collaboration with a diverse and eclectic array of artists including Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo, The Legendary Tigerman, Half-Japanese’s Jad Fair. Jean-Marc Montera, R. Stevie Moore, André Jaume, Mike Watt, Fatso Jetson, Jérôme Casalonga, Lula Pena, Scanner, Jean-Michel Bossini, Mike Cooper, Duke Garwood, Alain Johannes and FaIth No More’s and Imperial Teen’s Roddy Bottum and a growing list of others. And through these collaborations, the French act have explores the possibilities and boundaries of expressions, frequently combining sound, image and text in new ways.

The members of Hifiklub and Roddy Bottum have collaborated together on a new album Things That We Lost in the Fire. Slated for an October 16, 2020 release on cassette and CD in the United States on Dreamy Life Records and on vinyl and CD through the rest of the world through Toolong Records/Differ-Ant, Things That We Lost in the Fire is reportedly a trance-like, spoken word-driven album. Interestingly, the album’s latest single is a cover of Survivor’s smash-hit “Eye of the Tiger.” Centered around a sinuous and propulsive groove, glistening keys and blasts of reverb-drenched guitar and spoken word delivered lyrics, the Hifiklub and Roddy Bottom rendition turn the classic anthem into an atmospheric and brooding, disco-tinged art rock jam, reminiscent of Black Strobe’s “Boogie in Zero Gravity.”

Directed by Léna Durr., the recently released video for the Hifiklub and Roddy Bottum cover follows bodybuilder Benjamin Rostaert as he lifts weights and prepares himself for a major bodybuilding competition. Fittingly, much like Rocky III, we see the dedication and lonely routines and preparation lead to Rostaert’s success.