Hyperculte – “Hyperculte” – [Les Disques Bongo Joe]

Thurston Hunger   8/10/2016   12-inch, A Library

Geneva vivre! Perky poppy stuff that could have been
cooked up in a Stereolab or come from the overflow of
Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp. Like that Swiss
band, this album has a full sound, with merely a dynamite
duo (including the actual bassist from OTPMD). Vincent
Bertholet’s upright bass lines are what keep this in the
pop zone, he frequently nails the nerve from ear to toe.
In addition there’s plenty of weird warpage via outer space
synth. One track, “S.O.S.I.” sounds likes a nod to Glenn
Branca (or at least the Theoretical Girls). There is also
un hommage du the incredible Brigitte Fontaine, apparently
on “Cholera” but on “Le Tyran” it almost sounds like lady
Fontaine herself. That voice and the drummer and yin of this
duo comes from Simone Aubert. She has a nice “sweet scream”
of a voice. On “Resigne” it’s a candy, on “Le Feu” it’s
a flamethrower. The duo vox interplay is cool when paired
up, she might yodel while he speak-sings, or they might
trade off moves closer to a Ye-Ye way. They’ve got an
immaculate knack for producing catchy songs. Tres cool stuff
I want to hang with these two, although maybe not in the
furry cosplay from the cover. (Is that a “Revenant” nod for
bear and skunk?). Let’s track down some Massicot, a side
project for Ms. Aubert. Art rock lives!
-Thurston Hunger