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Rien Faire — Le Défilé
(Dur et Doux dd, 2026, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-06-01

Le Défilé Cover art

Rien Faire is now up to their third album, the rather brief Le Défilé, and it carries on their quirky brand of Art Pop; the old descriptor “surrealist nursery rhymes” is still applicable. There has been some change in personnel since their self-titled debut in 2020, with the band consisting of Alice Perret (keyboards, vocals), Lucas Hercberg (bass, guitar, vocals), and Corentin Quemener (drums, vocals) plus Aloïs Benoit as a guest trombonist on one track. The songs are catchy and melodic, though singing along is likely limited to French speakers, so humming will do. I think Hercberg is the primary lead vocalist, though much of the time there are multiple singers in the mix with harmonies, countermelodies, or even chattering in the background. There are times when I’m reminded of Brian Eno’s early vocal albums (Warm Jets and Tiger Mountain) infused with a bit of New Wave drive courtesy of Perret’s keyboards, which favor bright combo organ sounds and cheerful, almost 8-bit synth tones. The rhythms aren’t generally odd meters, but they are approached in atypical ways rather than keeping a steady beat behind the melodies. Rien Faire has a wonderful way of injecting elements of the avant into their bouncy pop songs, resulting in an all-around enjoyable listening experience.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Rien Faire

More info
http://rienfaire.bandcamp.com/album/le-d-fil

 

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