Almost two years after launching their inaugural album, the duo Totalement Sublime (in concert on August 24 at Mutek) offers an EP with a cryptic title, but with clear content. The exploratory song by Élie Raymond (Foreign Diplomats) and Marc-Antoine Barbier (Choses Sauvages) once again claims the influence of Japanese electronic pop of the 1970s and 1980s, but does so on two fronts: a first and long instrumental composition titled 31 december, followed by three shorter songs. Over these almost ten first minutes, the duo superimposes layers of synthesizers to develop invigorating harmonies; if he had added an even more house rhythm, Totalement Sublime would have approached a Jon Hopkins, or even a Gui Boratto. Quite different is the atmosphere on Korok, with its playful percussions reminiscent of the Talking Heads touch. Harp is however the most accomplished of the three songs: a simple, very beautiful tune, carried by a temperate house rhythm, skilfully covered with bass, guitars and delicate synths.
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