Délicat déni

Description

The instruments pass from hand to hand, a synthesizer jostling for space before finally asserting itself, the drum kit sometimes ending up dismantled on the floor, voices whispered or shouted, the bass rounded like an old river pebble, and the guitars soured with Russian distortion. The result, echoing this musical chairs game, sits at the crossroads of several sonic paths without ever truly adhering to a dominant or clearly defined style. Rather, it is a hybrid form, at turns free-rock, playful and danceable, experimental pop, noisy world music, with the instruments continuing to be cheerfully swapped among musicians. Composed collectively and as democratically as possible, the tracks of Chocolat Billy, though written, give pride of place to improvisation and elasticity, reaching their full scope during the concerts the band has given in respectable numbers (nearly 300) in every corner of France, Belgium, and Holland...