happy Bastille Day: Lizzy Mercier Descloux reissues, new Parisian band Juniore, a French pop mix & more

by Bill Pearis

Juniore

Today is Bastille Day, which is known as La Fête Nationale in France, commemorating when troops stormed the Bastille on July 14, 1789 — one of the pivotal events at the beginning of the French Revolution. France has a long pop history and I put together a Bastille Day mix on Spotify that runs the gamut from ’60s ye-ye, to synth-wave and postpunk, the “French Touch” dance music of the late ’90s, French hip hop (well, MC Solaar), and some modern French rock and pop. You can stream it below.

One of the artists on the mix is Lizzy Mercier Descloux who was part of the Ze Records scene of the early ’80s that produced a lot of weird, amazing dance music. Light in the Attic is reissuing her 1979 debut, Press Color, on August 14. It’s the first of five Descloux reissues and comes on double vinyl with a slew of bonus tracks and copious liner notes. Pre-orders are being taken now and below you can check out video of her performing the single “Fire” on French television as Serge Gainsbourg looks on.

Elsewhere: Juniore is a new-ish band from Paris whose debut 7″ was produced by Samy Osta who recorded La Femme’s Psycho Tropical Berlin. Juniore has a similar synthpop-meets-ye-ye-chic sound that is very French, a little surfy and very cool. The band, the creation of singer Anna Jean, have released three terrific singles so far, including the just-released “Marabout.” You can stream that and their other two below.

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate, musically, in NYC, French label Kitsune is throwing a Bastille Day Party tonight (7/14) at Le Bain in the Standard Hotel featuring Chordashian, Antoine Karl plus Hart & Air Zaïre. More info here.

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