Larme Blanche – Demain Est Mort (Album – Unknown Pleasures Records)
Genre/Influences: Minimal-electro.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Larme Blanche is a brand-new project driven by an unknown musician. He’s hiding himself behind a mask and this mysterious nickname. It seems that even the label owner doesn’t know his identity… I would be not surprised it concerns an artist who’s already familiar with Unknown Pleasures Records..
Content: Larme Blanche has 2 main characteristics. The music is clearly driven by retro electronics -the 80s reminding the fetish sound of the label, and French vocals. I don’t want to compare Larme Blanche with any other formation although some passages might remind you of the legendary Taxi Girl. Larme Blanche is much more into darkness, which is an aspect accentuated by some tormenting lyrics. Some lyrical parts are still more explicit, but globally speaking it remains gloomy. The timbre of voice reminds me a bit of French artist Lescop (who also did a few things together with Indochine). The song “Le Dernier Soupir” is for sure a special one. It’s a long duration cut with 2 parts; you first get a kind of long introduction with spoken samplings from a historic speech of André Malraux and next comes a more danceable part with real vocals. There also is a hidden song, which is the title track.
+ + + : Behind this mysterious artist is hiding a talented composer. Larme Blanche brings old electro-minimalism back to life, but still has a global approach that I like. The sound is dark, obscure and gloomy. The songs are somewhat disturbing; they feel like a closed door you’re not allowed to open and yet you can’t resist. You have to know what’s hiding behind and that’s precisely what I feel when listening to “Demain Est Mort”. There are several little sound jewels featured on this album. The already mentioned last song “Le Dernier Soupir” is worthy of examination and according to me the perfect intro song for a live show. But I also have to mention “Seppuku” for its anguished sphere and “Paris La Nuit”, which is maybe one of the catchiest songs from the work. ”L’Obscurité De Tes Doigts” is another noticeable song revealing icy sound treatments and sensual, somewhat perverted lyrics.
– – – : I don’t see any single minus point about this work although the French vocals might be an obstacle to reach a wider audience.
Conclusion: “Demain Est Mort” has something of dark poetry, maybe a tiny perverted, but still a brilliant composition.
Best songs: “Seppuku”, “Le dernier Soupir”, “Paris La Nuit”, “88Mph”, “Overdose D’Epicure”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.facebook.com/lalarmeblanche
Label: www.unknown–pleasures–records.com / www.facebook.com/Unknown–Pleasures–Records-566180440115465
About Larme Blanche
Larme Blanche, a name that translates as “white tear” or “rudimentary weapon”, is a masked French minimal-electro project that keeps its identity secret even from its own label. In a Click Interview, the artist explained wearing a balaclava as a way to speak freely without being judged, and cited Suicide, Chris & Cosey, Throbbing Gristle, D.A.F., Death In June and French wave acts from Taxi Girl to Etienne Daho as influences, alongside the films of Gaspar Noé. Saxophonist Quentin Dubarry guests on “Overdose d’Épicure”.
“Demain Est Mort”, released in 2020 on Unknown Pleasures Records, is Larme Blanche’s debut album.
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
