La Machine – Contrôle Total (Digital/CD/Vinyl Album – BOREDOMproduct)
The French duo La Machine has released three EPs over the past few years and now unveiled their debut album. Led by Pierre Pi (Komplex, Position Parallèle, Communication Zéro) and Éric U0 — also known under the pseudonym Member U-0176 (Celluloide, Thee Hyphen, Signal/Bruit) — this album contains ten tracks. It should be noted that six of these songs were already featured on their previous EPs.
La Machine’s sound feels like a calling card for their label: a robotic Electro-Pop style, filled with refined bleeps and a distinctly vintage feel. Most of the songs are sung in French. The overall effect evokes a modern version of Taxi Girl — and that’s more than just a casual reference.
While only four tracks are new, they include some real gems. These new songs tend to sound darker, sometimes even menacing in atmosphere and solid bass lines, and they reveal a certain complexity beneath the surface. A word should also be said about the lyrics, which manage to be both humorous and realistic at once. La Machine may not be a group with a message, but they certainly have a point of view. The well-known cover of “Vamos A La Playa” fits seamlessly into the lineup — transforming a mega-hit that once had everyone dancing and singing along in the ’80s into something permeated with dark undertones.
La Machine is an exciting contemporary group with a vintage sound aesthetic. As far as I’m concerned, it’s an absolute success! (Rating:8).
Watch the clip for “Sextape”
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