"This record sounds more UK" says vocalist-slash-drummer Raphael Mura. It is the French trio's third album after Twisted Trees (2007) and Sticks And Stones (2008).
The band are now based in London, so are obviously soaking up the local scene to add to their post-Grunge, Pixies meet Sonic Youth sound. France's linguistic overlords will not be best pleased.
Alongside nods to the usual Indie suspects, Krautrock and classic psychedelia are also key reference points. A healthy addiction to the weird and wonderful world of David Lynch is also central to the cult-rock mood of the record.
Three tracks named after Twin Peaks episodes (The Black Widow, The Orchid's Curse and Traces To Nowhere) while Yellow Suit is a reference to Blue Velvet. As a bonus, We Were Slumbering ends with strange Lynchian voices.
The noirish cover shot shows a woman stretched on a bed looking emotionally or narcotically wasted, an image that matches the sullen decadence of guitarist Marion Andrau who shares vocal duties with Mura. JB Ganivet on bass makes up the threesome.
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Russian Doll is the first single from the album and the jerky rhythms exemplify the band's self consciously cool and arty style.
Seagull Attack is the album's "crescendo centrepiece", an epic nine and half minutes of hardcore attitude complete with hypnotic Can-like effects. This is probably a killer tune when played loud and live but tends to drag a bit on record.
Ginkgo Bubble is a close cousin of Radiohead's 15 Step to demonstrate that beneath the studied cool, the band sound is not as radical as they would have us believe.
Still, to paraphrase Twin Peaks' Dale Cooper appreciation of black coffee, you will find some damn fine music here, and hot!
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