As explosive as the volcano they took their name from, Les Pythons De La Fournaise (referring to le Piton de la Fournaise on the Reunion island) have come back to their full electric sound with 'Tout Z'étoil' (literally 'all stars' in Creole), a psychedelic and dancefloor-hungry mini-album.
Based in the French Alps since their formation in 2007, Les Pythons de la Fournaise are a collective of both Reunionese and 'Metropolitan' musicians who not only share music and songs, but also celebrate a common love for the rich Creole culture of the Indian ocean through cooking, making instruments, putting on parties...
They have recently produced the acoustic 'Orchestre du Piton' LP where they dug deep into the 'Maloya' (a powerful percussion-based and African-rooted style) and 'Séga Lontan' (accordion-based Reunionese 'chanson') traditions. Well, these can still be felt on this 4th effort 'Tout Z'étoil', but it is as though the songs were catapulted into a groovy and kaleidoscopic stereofrenzy – with a warm analog quality and a modern dancey approach.
The record kicks off with two addictive floor-shakers : 'Mo Chérie L'Amour', written by Mauritian artist Roger Lejuste about a man who witnesses his girlfriend practicing witchcraft rituals, magnified by hypnotic synth lines and wah-wah bursts ; and the exhilarating 'Cafrine' (a Creole word for women of African Descent), admirably sung by Clémentine Duchemann, about women getting ready for the 'bal poussière' (dust dance), a party where people dance barefoot on the ground, creating a blinding cloud of dust.
'Séga Zambrovat' follows up the band's tradition of composing their own instrumental tunes ; this one fits perfectly in the record's identity with its cheeky synth arrangements and unpredictable grooves.
'Séga Socola' (chocolate séga) is a moodier track, led by the warm sound of a tropical guitar melody, and driven by the typical 'kayamb' percussion and its soft come-and-go pattern.
Les Pythons' former frontman and Reunion-native René Cadet appears as guest-star on the last – but not least - track, the epic 9-minute 'Sous Pieds d'Camélias', a beautiful mid-tempo Séga penned by one of the band's favourite composers, Maxime Laope. This version is perhaps the most psychedelic arrangement Les Pythons have ever achieved, with overlapping guitars & keys, and beautifully haunting female choir echoeing René's vocals.
Once again, Les Pythons De La Fournaise accomplished a tour-de-force : paying tribute to the rich repertoire of the Indian ocean, whilst moving forward with a fresh, unpretentious and original approach in style and sound !