Les Borigenes

The first LP from France's Humming Dogs. Born from the radical Oiseau Mouche (Bird-Fly Company) - a troupe of actors and comedians who focus on the theatre of gesture - Humming Dogs make joyful, avant rock music, which pooh-poohs the po-faced in favor of a party. Humming Dogs are made up of eight members - David Bausseron, Mathieu Breuvard, Florence Decourcelle, Thierry Dupont, Chantal Esso, Léa Le Bars, Florian Spiry, and Valérie Waroquier - who each write and create songs, swap instruments, and sing collectively. Guitars, bass, drum kit, and keyboards mix with toy percussion, amplified pinecones, pot lids, iPads and a zither. "Ha Ha Ha" opens the record with the group dispersed and growling at one another, only to break out in infectious laughter, a free word riot and a thick bass melody. The traditional French song, "Karnaval", gets totally sent by keyboards and a heavy guitar scrawl egged on by the bands hooting and hollering. "Ça Me Gratte" haunts, grates, until it splits with a rising synthesizer, squeaking toys, vocal drones and spitting, near exhausted vocals from Chantel Esso. "Les Borigènes" contains the self-taught, simple charm of the Shaggs' Philosophy of the World (1969), performed in the spirit of village revelry and recorded and edited beautifully in the tradition of the GRM. Democratized experimentation, low ego rock n' roll, Les Borigènes is a truly joyous, remarkable and wild record. Artwork from London's Submit to Love Studios and Taylor Silk. Humming Dogs have performed at Sonic Protest, Cafe OTO, and Counterflows. 140 gram vinyl; edition of 500.