★Replica
Et après...
Originally from Le Havre, Mémoriance is one of the best kept secrets of the French progressive scene. Formed in the early 1970s, the sextet released their first album Et après…in 1976, a skilful and subtle disc which demonstrates all the compositional talent of a group in full possession of its means and which will earn it the winner of the Tremplin d’Or the same year. Sometimes symphonic (often reminiscent of Floyd from Wish You Were Here), sometimes jazz-rock, always inspired in its discreet p…
La Vieille Que L'On Brûla
Tip! Concept album influenced by witchcraft originally published in 1978, the sole effort by Ripaille from Brittany melts celtic-folk and progressive rock influences
Blå Vardag
Originally published in 1979, the sole album from Swedish band Atlas is combining playfulness with intricate, mellow melodies while infusing heavy organs, carefully refined guitar riffs and fantastic synthesized soundscapes. This album is indispensable when looking at the progressive instrumental music history and not to be overlooked
Someone Somewhere
Someone Somewhere was assembled from original tapes during the band's active period (73-77). Acanthe was a French Classic Rock/Prog band in activity in the mid 70’s (from 73 to 77), but that has never seen its music reflected on a official release. For obscure reasons, this band was never given the effective opportunity to see its work properly published. Well, more than 30 years after their disbanding, the merits of the band have been finally recognized (and assembled) by homeland label Replica…
Les Poumons Gonflés
"On this album les 3 fous became 4 with the arrival of keyboard player Jo Thirion, and for the first and only time they had the same sax player for 2 consecutive albums. In addition to the expanded line up, EFL's fourth full length release saw the emphasis shift to relatively short, focused songs and in many ways saw them realise the abundant potential that they displayed on their early albums.
The fundamentals of EFL remained in place, despite the changes. Guigou Chenevier and Ferdinand Richard…
Brussels
Replica presents the first vinyl reissue of Lard Free's live performance Brussels. Invited to play in the Belgian Capital in 2009, this Lard Free incarnation (with Sitar, Keyboards, drums, bass, saxophone and female vocals shows us that Gilbert Artman has neither lost his originality, not his splendor. Unreleased and essential.
I'm Around About Midnight
** 500 copies ** Released in 1975 with a slight line-up change, I’m Around About Midnight shifts from rock to a more electronic ap-proach thanks to Richard Pinhas (Heldon) skills with keyboards. More experimental and sophisticated than ever, it shows a band searching for constant musical absoluteness.Lard Free's second album was recorded in Paris in a three day session and released in 1975 on Vamp. The lineup is totally different from the first LP and as mentioned it features long time friend Ri…
Lard Free III
** 500 copies ** Released only one year prior to their split, III digs even deeper into electronic and experimental territories. Lard Free’s music has never sounded more cinematographic and spacey than on this record which perfectly blends the players, their instruments and some kind of dialog with the Universe.This is the most electronic effort of the group and the instruments on this album consists of mostly synths. In addition we have piano, drums, vibes, guitar - and clarinet as the first ti…
Unnamed
** 500 copies ** Never heard before until its release on CD in 1997 (on Spa-lax Records), Unnamed was recorded a year before Lard Free’s first album and shows a band that totally foresaw the Rock In Opposition movement. Aventurous, never afraid to explore unknown musical lands, Lard Free definitely owns its place in the great History of Rock Music.Recorded in 1971/1972, these Lard Free "lost" recordings document an interesting, primitive period of the band and shows Artman and Co. moving freely…
Racines Synthetiques
In 1978, keyboardist and composer Joël Fajerman published « Racines Synthétiques » in collaboration with Jan Yrssen. Some songs were featured on « L’Aventure des plantes » soundtrack, one of the first ecological program on french TV. Living up to its title, this is an astonishing album filled with melancholia and beauty.
Mandarine
More than an obscure curiosity, Ex Vitae played its part pretty well during the heydays of the 70’s French underground music scene. Led by René-Marc Bini & Jean-Marc Philippe, the band mastered its own way of delivering fusion jazz where eclectism and forward thinking were perfectly blended into an insanely precise groove. Their unique album was self -released in 1978 and has been feverishly sought-after ever since. Let Replica grace you with a piece of crazy music done the French way with this …
8 Petites Pièces De Variété
Another evolution of Urban Sax concept, composed and directed by the visionary composer Gilbert Artman, conceived as a double quintet of talented multi-instrumentalists (featuring Jac Berrocal, Bernard Weber, Frederic Acquaviva and Emiko Ota among others) players working over a compositonal control of sound spatialization
Quad Sax
A cut-down quartet version of Urban Sax composed and directed by the visionary composer Gilbert Artman, fusing urban ambiance and electronics with his unique concept of minimalism and jazz. The musical result is perfectly illustrated by the that An exploration of minimalistic soundscapes and repetitive music designing a spacey odyssey through unknown territories. An ethereal meeting somewhere between Steve Reich, Magma and post-Daevid Allen Gong.
Le Jour Où Les Vaches...
Reissue of the first album by this French iconoclast poet, recorded in 1974 with William Sheller's string arrangements. This highly symphonic and dystopian rock album should overjoy fans of Gerard Manset or Genesis.
En Forme !!
Vinyl reissue! While still in Etron Fou Leloublan, Ferdinand Richard released his first solo-album in 1981. Expect a unique blend of dadaist jazz, art rock and new wave, inviting Ferdinand in the club of the untypical singers chaired by Frank Zappa and Albert Marcoeur.