French TV's newest CD, A Ghastly State Of Affairs is their 15th in their long history. It is also their first album not to be self-released. Headed up by charter member bassist/composer Mike Sary, he is joined again by guitarist Kasumi Yoneda (also from the Japanese band TEE), keyboardist Patrick Strawser (best known for his work in the 90's band Volare), and now by the original drummer from FTV's first three abums, Fenner Castner.

One of the more overlooked highlights of "new music" in the 1980s, blending a smorgasbord of multi-cultural influences into a whimsical and effective whole. It's not billed as such, but this could be most properly classified as late-20th century art songs, with a far greater accessibility to the rock and pop audience than most projects of this nature. It doesn't sound like it could work on paper–why would you want to hear such disparate influences as Cole Porter and middle eastern-like chanted background vocals mixed together, along with about ten other styles? But it does, in a fashion that's more seductive than challenging.

Spanning over a period of about 10 years (2013-2023), this collection of short pieces started as sketches, demos, ideas recorded for later. Some of them were presented to Miriodor (the band I’m a member/founder of), but did not develop.

NeBeLNeST were one of the most adventurous and energetic young bands to emerge on the international post-rock / avant-progressive scene in the late 90s. The young French band was noted for its dark symphonic rock music influenced by King Crimson, Shylock and Univers Zero/Present, laced with psychedelia and improvisation, and played with a riveting level of energy and intensity derived from the hardcore and noise scenes. In the words of the Chicago Tribune: “these French sound sculptors chisel out large-scale instrumentals that pair up the weird sonics and improvisational bent of mid-period King Crimson with a Gong-like space fusion ambience…[They] borrow bits and pieces of old school art rock and arrange them into a singular sound awash in dissonance and strangely mutated guitar/keyboard tones.”

Zëss had long been plagued by its incompleteness and its recording was deferred for years. Four decades after its first draft, the work has finally been recorded in an orchestral version that gives it both its true dreamlike dimension and its transcending power. For Zëss is above all the visionary reflection of an immemorial dream haunting the most obscure part of our souls. Zëss treads a line between a vital overflowing and the edges of the unlivable. It is an incandescent and heady oratorio where consciousness questions its other side in a measureless journey. Zëss indicates the ultimate reversal out of which bursts a beyond of music that only music can reach. Magma’s whole story condensed…

Univers Zero's new album (since 10 years) follows the lineage of 'Phosphorescent Dreams', originally released only on CD in Japan in 2014, and reissued as an LP on the Sub Rosa label in 2019. Lueur is the fruit of two years' work and reflection, the foundations of which were laid by Daniel Denis (keyboards, drums, percussion…), then enriched by the contributions of Nicolas Dechêne (guitars), Kurt Budé (clarinet / bass clarinet) and Nicolas Denis (bass, percussion, vocals), all three present on Phosphorescent Dreams.

CHROMB! has been making CHROMB! for ten years, five albums and many concerts. And CHROMB! is music. The band is driven by four heads, propelled by an overflowing imagination, electrically powered and impervious to classification. Sometimes its mother is jazz, since CHROMB! looks like her in photos, sometimes it's rock, since it's true that it's not completely wrong. What defines CHROMB! above all is their elasticity, their devotion to both melody and racket, and their obstinacy in continuing to invent unpredictable pieces of music.

"In 1976-77 I had written my trilogy, Hubert Greenery Peck, Moments, and Egg Soup, the latter of which comprised ‘A Hypothetical Simulation’ followed by ‘Those and The Eggs.’ Egg Soup originally had lyrics and singing. These songs gradually became finished with the genius of fellow band member James Strain adding his undeniable, unbelievable musical dexterity to the mix. Moving forward close to 46 years later is the brand new ‘The Strainge Case of Steve’ project, an album which is the consummation of all that’s been learned, well trodden, and procured through the years. And James with his mellifluous original songs adding spice and variety, the genius cornerstone of the new Reporters sound! Enjoy!” - Steve Kretzmer

According to the globe-trotting musicians of Balungan, however, the train à grande vitesse is already at the station. The 13-member band kicks off its debut, Kudu Bisa Kudu, with the nostalgic steam whistle and intentionally garbled boarding call of “Javanese TGV”, but as soon as Franck Testut’s driving bassline gears ups, it’s clear that we’re riding a 21st-century conveyance. Gang vocals, hairpin-curve guitars, and accelerating arpeggios played on tuned percussion also announce that this is a multicultural journey—and in fact the group is made up of seven of Java’s most open-minded gamelan virtuosos, plus six equally adventurous rock musicians from the south of France.

Pere Ubu unveil their new album, Trouble On Big Beat Street, nearly four years after their previous record for Cherry Red, The Long Goodbye. The Modern Dance (1978) marked the end of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Trouble On Big Beat Street marks the end of The Song. Pere Ubu ended with The Long Goodbye (their last album, also on Cherry Red, from 2019). Pere Ubu begins again with Trouble On Big Beat Street.

February 29, 2020: like wild beasts, we stormed the stage of Penmarc'h, the first concert of our tour. Then came Nantes, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Perpignan and Saint-Étienne. Every night, the band, honed like a blade, leapt at the chance for battle! In Besançon, our momentum was thrown off by an offbeat. ESKAHL captures the concerts of this new MAGMA and its new line-up, more vibrant than ever! Magma is there, will always be there. And nothing – no, nothing! – will stop us!

Available Jan 25th, 2021, featuring bonus track of more than 15 minutes – the first studio recording of the song “Rétrovision”!