It’s thanks to independents such as Swiss record label Les Disques Bongo Joe, that we get to enjoy such refreshing contemporary underground sounds such as Meril Wubslin, the musical project of Christian Garcia-Gaucher, guitarist-composer of Velma and Valérie Niederoest (Toboggan/Wild Guys), with Jérémie Conne (Toboggan/Rosqo).
Our Song of the Day is Flâner, the lead single from their forthcoming new album. The label aptly describes the single as sounding as if “The Velvet Underground had unplugged and decamped in Europe.” This is gorgeous primal blissed-out psychedelia, beautifully dislodged from any mainstream tethers that you will return to time and again.
Set for release on 4th February, the new album Alors Quoi sees Meril Wubslin mix paired back, hypnotic riffs and vocal harmonies with the occasional injection from an all-female choir or minimal synth line.
With a desire to capture an altogether different sound to their previous two records, for Alors Quoi the trio elected to banish their amps and pursue a more intimate and low key vibe. Tambourines and maracas were treated as if a drum kit and the band called upon a group of friends to form a small amateur, female choir bringing a richness and colour to proceedings.
“We were surprised by the wide range of possibilities, much more direct and much more emotional actually. Just mics in front of our unplugged guitars, small percussions, our naked voices, et voila…”
Alors Quoi is released 4 February via Bongo Joe.
Pre-Order via Bandcamp: https://merilwubslin.bandcamp.com/album/alors-quoi
Photo Credit: Jérémie Conne