post-romantic electrophonic pop from France / Germany

Maybe it's because I'm gettin' old these days (and even older today...) or just because I was in a mood for less eurodance cheese but I've totally fallen in love with two different acts this week, each from each side of the franco-german border. Both are made of two sexy boys, both can qualify for what one of them call "electrophonic" in that sense that they are making pop music with acoustic/symphonic elements surrounded by electronic arrangements, both write deep lyrics, which is a change and far away from the usual "Come shake dat ass and git wit me" R&B thang that has invaded french radios, and I feel the term "post-romantic" fits well to their music then, both are... in my mp3 player to stay!

First came the froggies, named Cassandre like the daughter of king of Troy, Priam, in Greek mythology, who was guifted of prophecy but was never believed by anyone. I discovered them through JeanRemy's blog and was attracted because of a duet with singer Michal displayed on their MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/moiracassandre). The song, Nos vies, sung live by all three of them was so great I immediately wanted to know and hear more of them. I wasn't deceived. They have released a digital album Il était une histoire, one more single song Au clair de lune and a full remix package of their latest single Liberté, all available in some places like http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmVtdXNpYy5jb20= (beware though they used to be called "Moïra Cassandre").


Pierre & Flo have classical roots, one teaches music, the other german, they are both singing on their songs and they have created their own universe on their first album where their voices are answering each other or melting together for the better on piano-driven melancholic lovesongs surrounded by electronic arrangements. Words are missing to describe how touching their songs are so why not go to their webpage to listen to them : http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm1vaXJhY2Fzc2FuZHJlLmNvbS8=

Second in line this week are the german, named The Snoopy Lads, and I just read about on a blog I visit twice a week at least for there is always something good to discover there.
(http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vZG9udHN0b3B0aGVwb3AuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLzIwMDgvMDkvc25vb3B5LWxhZHMtZmlyc3QtYWxidW0tcnVieS1pbi1ibHVlLmh0bWw=)

First on this page, I must admit it was the visual universe they displayed that attracted me but the sweet words of the blog article made me want to take a listen too (and know if the sexier one was the singer or the composer... the answer is the singer ...for me though). So I clicked to their MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/thesnoopylads) and found I was about to go at my emusic store once again.



From classical roots like their french previously talked-about boys, Basty and Hendryck met in a Berlin bar and shared the same musical vision. They have called it "electrophonic" because there were symphonic elements as well as electro. So their sound is more electro-nical but more aerial too than Cassandre, what is to say less poppy, more underground, and in parts they make me think of Erasure & Soft Cell, or A-Ha under E pills on some remixes. Their album A ruby in blue is a pure ...jewell! That was easy, I know .But then again, it's all about YOU now. Go and make an opinion for yourselves.

But beware!
First, this is not the kind of music you can get into at first listen if you're not in the right mood ...but
If you are, then it is the kind of sampled music you can get addictive to and then have no other choice then stick to their MySpace player all day or purchase their digital releases.

All I wish now is that the french duo make a re-recorded in studio version of their threesome with Michal available for legal download very soon and that the german who have recorded with swedish princess Emilia (remember her hit "I'm a big, big girl, in a big, big world..."?) unleash it as well.