CHOSES SAUVAGES FRENCH-CANADIAN DANCE-PUNKS ANNOUNCE THEIR NEW ALBUM CHOSES SAUVAGES III

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Image credit: Marc Andre Dupaul

CHOSES SAUVAGES

FRENCH-CANADIAN DANCE-PUNKS ANNOUNCE THEIR NEW ALBUM CHOSES SAUVAGES III

OUT NOW VIA AUDIOGRAM - PRE-SAVE HERE

& ANNOUNCE MINI UK TOUR FOR JUNE 2025

Introducing rising French-speaking Montréal band Choses Sauvages, who will be releasing their new album out now via Quebec label Audiogram (the largest independent French-language label in North America).

Carving themselves their own niche with their brand of dance-punk such as on previous singles ‘Incendie au paradis’ and ‘En joue’, Choses Sauvages are all at once fiery and spiky yet impassioned and elegant. It’s a groove that has won them praise aplenty in their home nation of Canada, as well as a reputation for their explosive live performances, led by their incandescent frontman Félix Bélisle. Having dipped their toe in playing across the pond at festivals such as Pitchfork Music Festival Paris, The Great Escape and Mad Cool Festival, this Canadian band are now setting their sights on even more live dates in Europe, but not before the release of their new album Choses Sauvages III, out now.

Félix Bélisle: ‘I think it’s the closest we’ve ever been to making a record sound like we imagined it, and self-producing the album gave it a rawer sound, a less clean aesthetic, closer to the live shows. Now the goal is to make this album find its way to people's ears all around the world. It always takes a little longer for French-Canadian music to make its way outside the French speaking countries. It’s been hard work to make it happen but here we are, finally ready.’

Straight out of the gate is ‘Fixe’ (English translation: ‘Still’), Félix’s ghostly vocals reverberating alongside vintage synth lines as he seeks peace and calm… an intriguing contrast for such a fast-paced track. Previous single ‘Incendie au paradis’ (‘Fire in Paradise’) marches forward with clanging guitar chords and staccato singing while dissecting the evermore frequent use of AI. Félix explains that ‘It addresses the promises and advantages of these technological advancements, while raising an ethical and moral debate about the use of artificial intelligence.’

While Choses Sauvages’ music toes multiple lines within the realm of modern post-punk, it’s nevertheless pleasing to hear a classic sound, as if it’s been lifted directly from its initial peak in the late 70s and early 80s, but still feels new. On ‘Level up à l’intérieur’ (‘Level Up Inside’), it’s all spiky guitars and whispered yet snappy vocals, while recent single ‘En joue’ (‘At Gunpoint’) turns this up to eleven, freaking out over worldwide violence and dehumanisation.

‘There's definitely a cosmic vibe throughout the record,’ says Félix. ‘The understanding of certain feelings, the awareness of self and the anxiety and discomfort created by realising these things are at the centre of the lyrics.’

The Francophone outfit know when less is more however, as evidenced on ‘Chaos Initial’ (‘Original Chaos’) with breathy vocals contributed from Lysandre Ménard as the minimal lyrics detail ‘a quest for cosmic identity’ according to Félix. Here, the band’s expert musicality allows their skill to do the talking, even more so on the Krautrock and techno inspired near instrumental ‘Big Bang’,

One track that is sure to linger after listening is ‘Cours toujours’ (‘Keep Running’), a repeating whistling motif circling around as the lyrics struggle with self-reflection. Félix explains that this song ‘feels as if one identifies a problem at the core of their being without being able to explain it,’ conveying unease through the words and music with an expert touch. ‘Faux départ’ (‘False Start’) also explores uneasiness but in a more existential manner and don’t miss ‘Deux assassins’, perhaps one of the album’s standout songs which as explained by Félix, ‘swings between dissonant sounds and grandiose, almost childish moments. It’s an observation of arbitrary social hypocrisy in relation to cancel culture.’

With the nerve to tackle global issues in an incendiary manner such as theirs, it’s only a matter of time before Choses Sauvages receive the recognition they’ve rightfully won in Canada around the globe. Don’t miss them when they head over to the UK for a short run of headline shows:

UK & European tour dates:

May 24th - Cap Breton @ Sidéral Festival (FR)

June 2nd - The Lanes, Bristol (UK)

June 3rd - Saltbox, Nottingham (UK)

June 4th - Legends, Edinburgh (UK)

June 5th - Shacklewell Arms, London (UK)

June 7th - Bellocq @ A Very Good Trip Festival (FR)

Bio:

Montréal’s Choses Sauvages released their self-titled debut album in 2018, to a strong reaction in the Quebec press. It received a nomination in the Album of the Year (Alternative) category at the 2019 ADISQ Awards and was crowned Indie-Rock Album of the Year at the GAMIQ Awards, reaching the top of the Quebec independent radio charts. Their success carried over onto their sophomore release Choses Sauvages II, winning a second victory in the Indie-Rock Album category at GAMIQ 2022.

Their latest tour has seen them present their material on major stages in Quebec as well as internationally, including in France, Spain, Belgium, the UK, Germany, and Mexico. They have featured in the lineup of several major festivals, including Pitchfork Music Festival Paris, The Great Escape, Mad Cool Festival, Printemps de Bourges, and MaMA, as well as opening for The Bright Light Social Hour on a 30-date USA tour.