‘that morning appears to me
the milky paleness of your memory
clean my imperfect psyche, obsess my mind
now, my change adorns my face...’
Saigon Blue Rain, Paris-France. When the era becomes darker, art usually reflects the blue and grey sadness in people’s hearts. That’s why many musicians are getting involved in the darker paths of music and lyrics, influenced by the dark wave seal. But, it is a dangerous lake to swim, and not drown like…Marian. SBR are skilled in swimming that dark lake, they are talented, full of fresh dark ideas in the genre, respecting their influences and developing a very serious act. It is the Parisienne duo’s fourth release since 2013, following ‘Stupid Bitch Reject‘ in March 2013, ‘Goodbye Horses‘ ( cover of the original by William Garvey, sung by Q Lazzarus) in December 2014, ‘What I Don’t See‘ in September 2014.
This year’s ‘Noire Psyché‘, seems to be their best struggle in the lake they decided to swim, and it sounds complete. Ten songs that wander in ethereal scapes with cold-pale melodies, all blended upon a solid dark wave plane, they manage to make it sound so fresh! Listen to ‘Dancing Trees No Longer Cry‘, the ethereal instrumental part of their stories, then go to ‘The Unknown‘, the cold wave aspect of them and then try ‘Bliss‘, and start grooving on that dark wave. But there is more, SBR are mostly putting all their music as one in most of their songs, and they need your attention on that because ‘Noire Psyché‘ is like balancing on ice, they never fall, they trip from one bank to the other, exploring elegant soundscapes and singing like a muse. Ophélie’s vocals are warm and cold at the same time, as well as she can be trippy or whining. She easily sings the lyrics with plenty of emotion when it is needed in the arrangement, she has a natural gifted shade in her voice, a complexion that can lead the songs through safe paths. She can be grumbling on angry lyrics like in ‘Fading Fantasies‘ – embracing the void, relishing the oblivion, small tormented souls searching for the oblivion, or she can warm the cold wave of ‘The Unknown‘ – hear what I preach, just drink what I preach, but you ignore, kiss my bold lips, now. Franck on the other hand, must have a Master on how to perform the guitar when it comes to ethereal cold dark wave, yes, that wave. Caressing, shoegazing or rockin’ on, without any means to show off his craft, he makes the perfect environment for SBR. Mention that when you change the music on your hardware or stop listening to music for a little while, SBR will be swinging in your ears as a band, not just as the singer or the guitar player, and that is what makes a band successful after all. Saigon Blue Rain are making very good and interesting music, and they are actually refreshing dark wave without letting technology overcome their certain talent in songwriting, a glass of red wine is recommended, enjoy!
Mike Dimitriou