French/Irish alt-rock outfit Bigger released their debut album, Les Mystosis, via Upton Park, a few days ago.
Bigger explains, “Recording this album was a powerful experience and an incredible adventure. In the health context that we know, we had to play with travel restrictions, lockdowns, quarantines, etc. But it didn’t slow us down, on the contrary, it gave us more strength and desire, we felt like we were doing something special. So, we recorded in Germany, in Dresden, and in Manchester with Jim Spencer producing. Working with Jim was a real pleasure, he brought us all his experience, his personal touch, always in subtlety and in perfect harmony with our music.”
They go on, adding, “We imagined our album as a temple, a strange, abundant, baroque space, always trying to go as far as possible, to give strong emotions. We played and sang with all our hearts, we experimented with things, exploited everything we had around us: amps, keyboards, chains, hammers, coins. Now we’re ready to play those tracks on stage and hit the road.”
Fronted by Kevin Twomey, hailing from Dublin, Ireland, the rest of Bigger comes from various areas in France – Marseille, Paris, and the Jura mountains. Since getting together, the band has released two EPs, Tightrope, and Bones and Dust, along with playing venues throughout Europe and at festivals, such as Les Eurockéennes de Belfort, Les Transmusicales, and Le Bataclan in Paris.
Embracing 10-tracks, highlights on the album include “Vampire Thirst,” a Queen-like, baroque song perfect for a remake of Dracula. Whereas “Salty Tears” merges alt-rock, pop, and retro savors into a tune vaguely reminiscent of the Talking Heads, with hints of the B-52’s tossed in for seasoning.
Brimming with ‘60s savors, “Even with Lies” rolls out on sensuous layers of coloration, at once sleazy and alluring, as glowing backing harmonies give the tune a depth and dimension. “The Game” travels on slow, bluesy flavors as Twomey struts his delicious vocal range, including a dazzling falsetto.
Lush, plush, and simmering with stylish retro aromas, Les Mystosis establishes Bigger as sonically innovative and swanky.
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