Almost a year after the release of the "W454" EP, the album that should have been released instead is finally out!
"Contrôle Total," the first album by the French duo La Machine, is finally available on CD and LP from Boredomproduct.
It contains ten tracks, six of which we had the chance to become familiar with previously, as they were included in the three EPs released over the last two and a half years: "La Machine (Qui Ne Sert À Rien)" and "F.F.P.2" were on the "La Machine (Qui Ne Sert À Rien)" EP, the cover of Righeira's "Vamos A La Playa" and "Réacteur 4" were on the EP of the same title, and "W454" plus "Invasion Humanoïde" were on the "W454" EP.
The album confirms the initial impression I had with the EPs: the duo formed by Pierre Pi (Komplex, Position Parallèle, Communication Zéro...) and Éric U0 (Celluloide, Thee Hyphen, Signal~Bruit...) has successfully created their narrative, reminiscent of mid-1950s sci-fi/horror movies, built as a dystopian view that criticizes our future from the perspective of the past.
Their videos feature science laboratories, hospital operating rooms, colliding comets, etc.
The lyrics, intelligently expose all human failures and vices: "Every day she dreams of being more beautiful through a scalpel's reflex / with sure and restrained gestures, he sculpts his naked body," or "On my screen your body moves / The sky turns red / The crash is scheduled for midnight / Will I be finished soon / There's still an hour to kill / The film has to be edited / Quick! Quick! expose ourselves / We have to get a million views / Quick! Quick! expose ourselves / Before we've all disappeared."
Musically, if you've already checked out the EPs, we have the same solid retro analog electronic sound (like Kraftwerk on steroids), full of catchy melodies.
"Contrôle Total" convinced me on every level, and I hope you'll allow them to abduct you...