Arlt, the duo formed by Eloïse Decazes and Sing Sing, have been subverting the boundaries of French song for almost 15 years. The pair have performed all over France as well as numerous tours of UK, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan, USA sharing stages, with Josephine Foster, Old Time Relijun, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Chris Cohen , Calvin Johnson, Eric Chenaux and The National. Today, Arlt releases ‘Turnetable’, their 6th Lp and their most youthful, riotous, uncanny and brazen effort to date – a collection of unruly, jury-rigged unhinged calypsos, ghostly blues and infectious love songs. Raspy rhythm guitars, minimalist keyboards, and bewitched cassette-players join forces with Bulbul Tarangs and concertinas – bending, droning and chipping the sound-world while the duet’s twin voices chant, hum and unload in ag lowingly slap-stick quivering French. Arlt’s magnetic rive shows are like comical spirit summoning sessions, psychedelic odes to childhood, macabre parties with heart-wrenching melodies riddled with improvisation and serendipities.

Arlt is a duet and ‘Turnetable’ is their brand new record. A sparkling opus as disruptive as it is disrupted and wild. The songs were constructed by Sing Sing, deconstructed by Eloïse Decazes, only to be rebuilt by the two with Ernest Bergez (Sourdure, Kaumwald, Orgue Agnès) ‘Turnetable’ was recorded in the living-room, the bedroom, the studio, at a neighbor’s house and in the backyard. Inside-outside. And it sounds like it. The recording took place in the sloping scape of the town of Thiers, and ‘Turnetable’ is indeed a record full of slopes. Yes: in ‘Turnetable’, lyrics, melodies and arrangements all wildly spin and slope. And the music will surely send you spinning and reeling and sloping all around in turn. Ernest Bergez’ warm and colorfully bouncing mix is a roomy 3D affair that leaves plenty of space for the listener to wander about. In ‘Turnetable’, adventure calls you everywhere and opposites reconcile. You can spot comedy and tragedy dancing hand in hand, the lyrical teasing the stunned, the delicate cozying up with the rough. ‘Turnetable’ is an experimental popular French song record crammed with lopsided hits. Starting with Oh Bagnole, a number summoning Leadbelly (Where Did You Sleep Last Night?), Stephen King, traditional Neapolitan song, the Beach Boys (severed from their harmonies) and contemporary R’n’B with its lush bass and stubborn violins. Or Le Village, where a small organ flakes onto a distant loop before bobbing and demented brasses fire their magic all over the tune. Because ‘Turnetable’ also welcomes new collaborators: Jérémie Sauvage (France, Tanz Mein Herz), Gilles Poizat (Mazalda, Rev Galen, Orchestre Tout Puissant Marcel Duchamp), Béatrice Terrasse (La Preyra). Turnetable is an adventure record, a metamorphosis record, a sonic theater, a psychic instrument – the pair believe in this magic fiercely. Incidentally, dead or alive, everyone will get their share of crazy fun in ‘Turnetable’. Because ‘Turnetable’ is all about that one monstrous, almost uncanny joy. About belting out brand new stories. Shiny stories. Yo! Aboule ta fraise Apocalypse ! ‘Turnetable’ is starting Arlt over once more!

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