The cover of Hébéphrénie, the first album by the Lyon duo Lovataraxx, undoubtedly possesses a special magnetism, comparable to the music it contains. Originally released by the French label Unknown Pleasures, in an edition that quickly sold out, the twelve tracks perfectly combine danceable rhythms with deep lyrics. Last year, this time on the Cold Transmission label, they released a second album, aptly titled Sophomore, which brings them a little closer to the dance floor. We will enjoy their music at the upcoming Ombra edition, taking place this very weekend in Barcelona.
Photos: Tanguy Guézo
—During your holidays in 2013, when you were crossing the Williamsburg bridge you got the idea of the band. How was it? What really happened?
—That was during the spring in New York City. We had just gotten engaged Helene and me. I was reading The Catcher in the Rye, by Salinger at that time. The Williamsburg Bridge is grey and pink, sad and flashy, pop and industrial at the same time. We talked about forming a band while crossing this bridge. We wanted to create a musical project that would embed a mix of polarized states of mind and feelings. I proposed to Helene a list of different band’s names that I had jotted down in my notebook, and we agreed on Lovataraxx. That was a perfect moment, we connected the dots between scattered desires that we had, by crossing this bridge.
—The name of the band it´s a mix of Love and Ataraxia (a lucid state of robust equanimity characterized by ongoing freedom from distress and worry, according to Wikipedia). Do you try to bring peace to your listener with your music?
—I try to bring peace to myself by creating music. That’s my medicine. I would be glad if that can help anyone else! In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need painkillers. Atarax is used for treating anxiety. You can seclude yourself by being sedated. On the contrary, going to a gig is a kind of ceremony, it can soothe your soul.
—The duo appeared in the Oráculo compilation dedicated to Absolute Body Control with a cover of Automatic. Were you fans of Dirk Ivens’ band?
—I knew a couple of songs by ABC, especially “Automatic”. I guess the first track I heard was “Is there an exit?”. Some friend of mine had put it on a compilation that we had for the road. Helene was singing regularly the woman’s part of this song while driving during a tour, with some kind of mewing voice : “Is there an exit?…” . When Oráculo asked us to participate to the compilation, we thought that it would be a good idea to make a cover of “Automatic” with Helen’s vocals.
—Being French, are you influenced by the original French coldwave? We recently interviewed Silent EM, who’s playing too at Ombra and he showed a great knowledge of the genre.
—I am not a die-hard worshiper of any genre of music. If a song is great, no matter the parish or the haircut of the singer. Of course, I am listening regularly to coldwave and minimal synth music, but I wouldn’t collect all the copycat bands, that’s too much. I can easily switch to underground hip hop, industrial music, punk hc, hypnagogic pop… And for sure I love 80’s synths music, from Devo to Carpenter themes, and stuffs like that.
—Your first reference was a split con Archet Cassé. The sound of the band was quite different, although some of the songs can make you think in what you did later. Were you still looking for your sound at the time?
—In my opinion this split is not a Lovataraxx album. We just had a proposition to make a tape and didn’t know it would be on a split. As we spent a couple of days in Leipzig, we decided to record some tracks in the studio of a friend who didn’t really know our sound or didn’t really listen to that kind of music. I don’t listen anymore to those tracks at all, to me they are gross. I am really surprised when someone mentions this split tape!
—Instead, the Kairos EP sounds like the first album (most of the most were included there) but a bit more experimental in tracks like Eidolon β or Minted Mind. Did you prefer to focus on a more song-oriented direction?
—I agree! Kairos is the first real Lovataraxx EP. We started to work with Pierrick Monnereau, one of my best friends. He’s really into electronic music and a great producer. We had time to test different keyboards, layouts and arrangements to build the sound of each track. I always try to find a good balance between experimental sounds and classical songwriting.
—Talking about the first album Hébéphrénie , it was originally released by Unknown Pleasures. and now it has remastered has a different order and a new track “Rekon” (already in your EP) Did you think with the time that this new order suits better the flow of the album?
—The track “Rekon” was already there on the first edition of Hébéphrénie LP. It’s just that the titles were wrong on the cover of the first vinyl edition. “Rekon” ended already the album in the first version of Hébéphrénie. And I think that’s its best place, because this song is really dreamlike. I remember, when we received our first exemplars of the vinyls. It was late in the evening, and I just had the time to check if everything sounded fine. I put the vinyl on the turntable and laid down on the coach to listen to it. I was really tired, and almost already in my dreams, by listening to “Rekon” and its arpeggiator. That was a wonderful experience to listen to this dreamlike sounds at the end of the track and fall into unconsciousness.
—According to you, both albums are about mental insanity and how the society try to avoid healing the people. What have inspired you to choose such a subject for your music?
—They’re a lot of different inspirations for this theme. We both have parents working in hospitals, so we heard a lot about how some patients are mistreated because of a lack of funds. We also visited an autonomous social centre in Italy where nurses and volunteers try to help patients with psychiatric problems. Those patients were left alone after an earthquake in the town, without real cares.
I was also reading several Philip K Dick novels by composing our first LP, and I discovered the word “Hébéphrénie”: a kind of schizophrenia that emerges generally when you’re an adolescent. The hébéphrénic people are withdrawing into themselves and want to live a reclusive life. You’re supposed to be in perfect shape as a teenager and have your life ahead. So that kind of mental sickness stands in contradiction with the cliché of the dashing young adult living his life to the fullest.
—Have you read Erewhon? It’s an interesting book about a society where sick people go to prison while “delinquents” are treated as sick people.
—No, I didn’t know this one, thank you for mentioning it!
—What are your little ghosts?
—That’s all our loved ones who died when we were composing Hébéphrénie and Sophomore.
—Your music is influenced by Greek Mythology and sci-fi (at least I read that in some promos). Can you please tell us more about this?
—I have been a Latin teacher for years, so really into mythology. For instance, Hébé is the goddess of Youth. This is why there’re some references to the Greek’s and Latin’s mythology on Hébéphrénie’s cover. One track is called “Araknee”, and it’s a reference to Ovid’s Metamorphosis. And the lyrics deal with the myth of the Three Fates. There are also a lot of references to Mythology and Religion in Sophomore. All the lyrics have double meanings.
—The second album is a bit more electronic/danceable and less coldwave. What took you in this direction?
—We played with new equipment and listen to new music, I guess. It wasn’t really planned or something. Also, the more electronic songs of Hébéphrénie were composed at the end of the process, and we were already on the road for a new album.
—Julien, you have talked about your love for horror original soundtracks, especially Carpenter, and I guess this can be seen in tracks like “Zerrissen”. Would you like to do a soundtrack in the future? You could use your Juno 60 for that.
—I would love to make a soundtrack for sure! If any film maker is interested, I am available.
—There are a couple of songs sang in German, one of them “Traumen”. Why did you choose different languages for the album?
—The lyrics come naturally in one language or another, so it’s really spontaneous! We also have songs in Spanish, and are preparing songs in French, that we had in the pipeline for a long time.
—And of course, we have to ask you about that song in Spanish, entitled “Marybone”. It’s one of my favourites of the albums and we would like to know a bit more about it.
—This song is inspired by a play by Federico Garcia Lorca called Bodas de Sangre. We have a video clip for this song, but we are waiting for the right time, and the good channel to broadcast this video. The title “Marybone” is an allusion to The Maids, by Jean Genet. The lyrics and the song deal with the fact that sometimes, victims are turned into guilty by the society and the medias.
—Both albums have a really good ending, really dramatic, “Hellebore” (although it´s true that the cassette and vinyl edition has different last tracks) and “Mare”. Is something that you care about?
—Absolutely ! We built our albums like stories. The last track of an album is really important to us, because it must escort the silence. One of my references is “The Bell” by Lou Reed. This is a perfect ending for an album, in my opinion. We also think about the tradition of ghost tracks on some albums. For instance, you mentioned “Eidolon”. It was supposed to be a ghost track after our first album. When the listeners pay attention to the last track of an album , it means that they really listen to the music, so that always a compliment for me when someone makes reference to the last track.
—About your concerts, you have been touring with a Vjay that plays old TVs and a neon tube. Does it help to give a more cinematic to the music?
—The cinematic part …we hope it is the job of the person who listen to the music! We had a reflexion about the stage, about the meaning of being here and how we build a link with the audience. Images and lights are a new language on stage. Playing like an instrument, putting the accent and encompass the three of us. If you don’t want to look at it, no problem… The videos are not an illustration of the songs .
—Julien, you used to play bass in the concerts, but now you have moved to the synths and drum machines, why?
—I love playing bass, I miss that! I always played synths and drum machines during the shows, and a couple of songs with the bass. It’s just that recently, it was a bit frustrating to bring a bass for one or two songs, take some time to make a good sound check with the bass and the amp, to use it only a couple of minutes during the show. Most of the time, we are asked to play 40 minutes, and that’s it. So, I would play very few bass. When we will have special demands of longer sets, I will bring back the bass with pleasure! For instance, I loved playing Marybone with a bass, I have to do it again!
—Currently there are a lot of bands of darkwave/coldwave, and a lot of them are doing great music. Any band that you like?
—There are many many bands we’re listening to, maybe more in the minimal wave / electronic vibes lately: Oberst Panizza, Llora, Adult, Figure Study, Kap Bambino, Das Ding, Neon Indian…
—What are your plans for the future?
—We’re finishing a new album, preparing shows in Greece, Armenia, and Georgia, planning a tour in Australia, and a couple of gigs in South America. We also try to include additional band members for a couple of gigs. We would love to go back on tour in US in the future, we’ve been there several times in the past and would love to meet back our friends there.
—What can we expect of your concert at Ombra?
—You can get something real for your body and soul. We always try to make it and never fake it. People who’s got big expectations will have a special treatment. Come with no anticipation, no preconception. Trust your ears and don’t follow the trends, you will love this moment.
