APOTHEO – BIEN FOU Review

What does APOTHEO sound like?

French art pop producer mixing traditional instruments into underground French electronica.

The review of APOTHEO – BIEN FOU

Describing himself as a producer-surfer-singer, APOPTHEO’s debut album ‘BIEN FOU’ takes a lot of inspiration from French art pop. Big drums. Lonely, sorrowful but defiant synth leads. Dramatic, almost religious-sounding backing vocals of choirs from around the world snipped into chunks. It is a real mosaic of sounds stitched together in a satisfying off-kilter way. No one does odd underground pop quite like the French.

The song that drew me in first of all is the second track on the album, ‘Housethnica’. It uses samples of traditional Bulgarian choirs crying out and then uses them as both the main chord progression and a clipped dance synth. They flicker on and off, flying around your ears as the deep bass heavy drums rumble like a war machine going to the disco. APOTHEO sings with his smooth and husky French accent that characterises much of the underground pop scene in France. It offers an insight into where we’re going and it reminds me heavily of Stromae.

The comparison to Stromae holds true across the album. We have acid jazz dance beats and sax leading the way with ‘La bonne’. ‘Gambas’ uses a choir over questioning and warbly synths like a masked ballroom for 2050. Then we have a round-the-world trip with ‘Je ne leur reassemble pas’ which starts out with thick organ synths and beats with APOTHEO egging us on vocally. Then half way through a dramatic choir surges in over orchestral hits and a slow rave synth. Oh, and we have Middle Eastern percussion too. It shouldn’t work but it does, sounding lively and bombastic throughout. Even on the quieter, more subdued and slinky 2am hits like ‘Virez-moi’, the brassy synths and anthemic wooden stick percussion make the groove irresistible.

There is an intersection between futuristic and brutalist percussion and synths and traditional music throughout ‘BIEN FOU’. At times it reminds me a bit of Fado music. There is a bluesy sadness across the album despite its party atmosphere at times and a gothic mystery too. ‘Oublier le manque’ wears that gothic mystery hardest as a slow grind of piano, strings, brass and traditional Bulgarian choirs conjuring Castlevania in my mind. ‘Papier d’Arm​é​nie’ also balances French string arrangements with furious bongos and a dudek. The dudek always sounds sorrowful and the tense strings and beats make this track feel cinematic. The flip side is that ‘Pr​é​cyeux’ is a creepy synthpop banger with a hang drum. There is a Marc Almond seedy undertone to the track and a splash of Fischerspooner in there too.

As we reach the final third of the album, APOTHEO turns his hand to fast spoken word with ‘Nostalgique’. The choruses are sung with a sad clown squashed synth rasp and dehumanised backing vocals. It’s as if APOTHEO is trying to lure us back with rose-tinted glasses but there is a sinister vibe hiding in the background. ‘Lumi​è​re’ is equally lethargic with a detuned main synth and a swing beat. ‘Sp​é​cimen’ takes that lethargy and turns it into a cinematic sci-fi piece. Full of whispered backing vocals, radio messages, downtempo strings and grizzly basslines it would be the slowest and darkest piece on the album if it weren’t for the closing piece. ‘V2.0’ is a short 78-second outro that brings most of the instruments and samples together for a final dark and brooding moment of drama. Between emotional chants, solemn dudek, ancient strings and gothic piano, there is a sense of doom here. Playful doom, but doom and density nonetheless.

Doom and density are the currencies that ‘BIEN FOU’ trade in. Whilst all the elements on the album sound like they could create a fun time, there is always a sense of sadness oozing out of every melody. Fans of French electronica, art pop, Fado and Stromae will absolutely adore this quirky and unusual album. It’s clever without shoving its weirdness in your face and the songs grow on you upon each listen. APTHEO’s debut will have you dancing around the living room desperate for that glass of wine to soothe the sorrow. Electronica for the thoughtfully glum.

Recommended track: Housethnica

---

Support Higher Plain Music

Higher Plain Music is part of the Higher Plain Network – a one-man indie media project. If you like what I do, please consider supporting me via Patreon for as little as $1/£1 a month. In return, you’ll receive additional perks for supporting me, such as behind-the-scenes content and free downloads. You can also donate using PayPal. Sharing the website helps too or using the affiliate buy now links on reviews. I receive a few pence per Amazon sale. All your support will enable me to produce better content, more often. I’d love to make this a full-time media network and your support can make that happen. Thank you.