HSRS (High Self Reset System) is the musical project of French singer-songwriter, producer, and musician Julie Bessard, who introduces the title track/music video, “Maze Of Woes,” from her upcoming EP.
Speaking of the themes of HSRS, Bessard shares, “The minotaur is trapped in the labyrinth of the psyche. How long does it take HSRS brain to return to a state of calm? What tools does she have at her disposal to find her way through each new obstacle? HSRS gets out its hooves and horns to embody this mythological character for a song. This approach is rhythmic and joyful, like the track ‘Maze Of Woes.’”
In 2004, Bessard began singing and producing under the name BESSA. With her HSRS project, Bessard channels influences like Björk, Connan Mockassin, King Krule, Solange, and Radiohead, merging flavors of English pop, jazz-punk, and electronic music.
Filmmaking and images play an essential role in the HSRS project. Bessard directs her own music videos and for her, writing and composing songs go hand in hand with bringing it to life through imagery. HSRS conjures a rebirth in the midst of life. The lyrics reflect this idea; it’s a return to the wild, instinctive nature of being, a geyser of music in which we welcome the unpredictable and accept that we have all the selves within us.
In 2022, HSRS released her EP, Peyote Perfume, featuring Nka, La Chica, and Bonnie Banane. At the beginning of 2023, HSRS dropped her EP, HSRS Band is playing 2 (Live).
“Maze Of Woes” opens on a grungy, primal rhythm topped by stripped-down layers of soul, R&B, jazz, and garage rock that forge a deliciously innovative sonic matrix, not quite rock, not quite pop. It’s almost art-pop-rock, but there’s a melodic granularity to it that makes it sui generis.
Bessard’s vocals imbue the lyrics with phrasing and inflections vaguely reminiscent of Prince.
Taking in everything from primitive sleaze to jazz-tinted soul, “Maze Of Woes” reveals the extraordinary creativity of HSRS.
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