Wow, this is a groovy
record of 60s influenced Psychedelic Electronic Pop that fans of Stereolab,
Air, High Llamas and early Broadcast really should check out. Already available
in Japan on the very cool Rallye records, Maple Key, the debut mini album from
Le SuperHomard (French multi-instrumentalist Christophe Vaillant) has been
picked up by the good folk at Mega Dodo for release in the UK and Europe.
Seeped in classic French pop influences including those of spiritual fathers of
the Retro Futurism genre, the aforementioned Stereolab and Medhi Zannad, with a
little help from his brother Oliver (drums and bass) and singer Pandora
Burgess, Christophe has recorded a fantastic record full of up-beat, melodic
pop music that is immediately recognisable but also sonically ambitious.
Although Maple Key is
short, coming in just over 20 minutes, the eight tracks here are sweet, sweet
stuff indeed. Channelling the “space age bachelor pad” vibe of Stereolab’s most
commercial period (around the time of their Emperor Tomato Ketchup album), Le
SuperHomard mix bubbling, sophisticated instrumentals which evoke the feel of
the early Air EPs with some great retro futuristic pop songs that feature the wonderful
voice of Pandora Burgess. The title track is a shimmering, psych tinged pop tune
straight from a 1960s imagined future where we all have jet packs and spend
holidays on the Moon……check the video here. The rest of the record is in the
same vain…….much of the inspiration for this mini album can be heard drifting
from the ether with brief snatches of familiar sounds catching the ear before vanishing
and although the influences are obvious, Maple Key is so much more than the sum
of its parts. If a cocktail party on Mars is your thing, then you are really
going to like this record.
Maple Key is due for
release on Mega Dodo on March 26th and can be pre-ordered from
either the Mega Dodo Bandcamp page at https://megadodo.bandcamp.com/album/maple-key
or their online shop where it is available as a CD, limited edition (250
copies) 10” white vinyl or a digital download. You can also buy the CD from
Rallye records in Japan or if you are one of the 50 or so hipsters that actually own
a tape deck/Walkman (an original 1982 TC/WM-D6 Walkman Professional obviously)
there will be a limited cassette release on the Greek label Melotron Recordings on 14th
February.
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