Julien Gasc - Perles, Coraux & Requins [Prohibited Records 077]

Released via Prohibited Records on June 5th, 2k26 is "Perles, Coraux & Requins", the latest full length album cooked up by Julien Gasc, acclaimed solo musician as well as touring member of Stereolab and part of the Aquaserge super group. Catering a menu of ten brand new songs and pieces on this 38 minutes spanning musical outing we see Julien Gasc - with a little help from Tim Gane, Anton Newcombe and others... - exploring a realm that is, if anything, very distinctly French not only by language but also by sound, referencing Indietronica as well as Easy Listening in its uniquely quirky take on Leftfield Pop and dreamy Chanson culture, drawing inspiration from Club Pop, Art Pop and Exotica - think: Pizzicato Five and similar bands from that era - as well as Indie cool and the distinct artsy boredom showcased by bands like Superorganism recently and all their sleazy predecessors in the 90s, blending in minimalist basement bar whiteouts, experimental arthouse films and cold cigarette smoke without sounding deliberately retro, nostalgic or anything along these lines. Instead "Perles, Coraux & Requins" seems like a long lost artefact, an old friend not seen for a while, a reacquaintance, an old barn, garden shack or attic that hasn't been entered for a long time. An album that has always been there but remained unexplored, comforting, warm and beautiful, yet still timeless and positively trapped in its own reclusive reality and therefore not to be seen or to be set in relation to anything in contemporary fast fashion Pop culture. This album is. And this is all one needs to know.

Album artwork on Instagram!