Forever Pavot

[SPlDEY]

Sup Strut, hope y'all are good. I know its been a while since I've been around. I have been thinking about how dope this band is to me, and how the internet doesn't seem to care. Then I remembered you guys used to talk about dope music here (once upon a time), and I thought we could maybe talk about these guys.

Not much press on this band Forever Pavot in English, but from what I gather this "band" is mostly a one man recording project led by Emile Sornin. Similar to how Tame Impala is a recording project led by Kevin parker. The band name most likely influenced by the opium connection to poppy fields. He was originally into Hardcore punk music , but later moved into the realm of Funky french soundtracks by way of MADLIB, RZA and MF DOOM samples. Strongly reminds me of Alain Goraguer, Shake Sauvage, Janko Nilovic.

Checking out a few of his interviews he cites Bruno Nicolai, Serge Gainsbourg, Ennio morricone, Alessandro Alessandroni, Areski & Brigitte Fontaine, François de Roubaix, Jean Claude Vannier, and Aquaserge as influences.

Also notable about Emile is that in his professional life he is a brilliant music video director. Working with Dizzee Rascal, Disclosure, Alt-J, and Cut Copy.

If you're hearing about this band for the first time through me. Don't you think it is a shame that great artists can slip through the cracks if not recognized by the TV, Radio or internet hype machines. I guess word of mouth is still valuable on the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeN-CITERwk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8OCPulIEsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPJ1hht1oOU

Tell me how you feel about it.


- Damo

 

[klezmer electro-thug beats]

I'm feeling the first track posted especially. If you ignore the vocals it really reminds me of an instrumental band Calibro 35, whose last couple albums have been FIERCE and are amazing live too. Italian harpsichord/keyboard heavy soundtrack vibes are great.

 

[Danno3000]

Thanks for this! Really enjoying it.

 

[SPlDEY]

klezmer electro-thug beats said:

I'm feeling the first track posted especially. If you ignore the vocals it really reminds me of an instrumental band Calibro 35, whose last couple albums have been FIERCE and are amazing live too. Italian harpsichord/keyboard heavy soundtrack vibes are great.



Rad, I can definitely see the comparison. Never heard of Calibro 35 before this thread. How did you hear about them?

 

[klezmer electro-thug beats]

Man, I can't remember - the first track I heard was Giulia Mon Amour, and I bought Traditori di Tutti off the strength of that, and then I recently saw them absolutely mow through their new album S.P.A.C.E. and some tracks from Traditori at the 100 Club in London, which was awesome. Four guys, tons of simultaneous multi-instrumentalism (playing sax while vamping on an old electric organ, singing, etc.), they are great. I like that they can do the ass-shaking soundtracky fun tracks alongside properly moody, sparse, interestingly arranged stuff too. I also like that they formed the band because as proud Italians they thought it was bogus that other retro-y acts were doing the 70s Italian soundtrack sound, and not as well as proper Italians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lWwDKnF1wE

 

[Junior]

Hi Spidey,

Thanks for sharing these, I'm only vaguely familiar with Forever Pavot from the La Souterraine releases : http://souterraine.biz/.

Not sure if you're familiar with this label but they basically churn out a couple of free Bandcamp compilations a month of underground French music, some of them with a definite slant towards the Orchestral retro French stylings of Gainsbourg et all (fair bit of Aquaserge on them).

Struggling to find a lot of examples but the 2024 album is a starter:






mostla tape 2024 by 2024

 

[klezmer electro-thug beats]

I forgot to address your last point, which is apt, about word-of-mouth. I think 95% of the music I've gotten into in the past 10 years has been by word of mouth, peppered by the occasional bit of random college radio luck or whatever. Listening to mixes or seeing personal recommendations/reviews online, basically. Coupled with my own research into labels and so on, but in terms of actual introductions to new stuff, it's pretty much all thanks to word-of-mouth. Sites like SS, or review sites run by one dude, or conversations with people, or whatever.