French Horn Rebellion sounds like the moment a stuffy conservatory rehearsal breaks out into a full-blown disco riot. It is music that wears its technical proficiency lightly, opting for shimmering synths, propulsive basslines, and the unexpected, triumphant swell of a French horn. The sound is inherently sunny, characterized by a 'French touch' elegance filtered through the gritty, DIY energy of the Brooklyn indie-dance scene.
What makes them truly distinctive is the tension between their classical pedigree and their commitment to the dancefloor. While many electronic acts rely on loops, the Perlick-Molinari brothers bring a composer's ear to their arrangements, layering brass textures and funk-inflected guitars in ways that feel both sophisticated and endearingly dorky. It is 'delightfully bizarre' because it refuses to choose between being smart and being fun.
Start with 'The Infinite Music of French Horn Rebellion' to hear their foundational blend of electro-pop and orchestral flourishes. It captures the high-energy, celebratory spirit that has made them a staple of the 2010s indie-dance circuit alongside acts like MGMT and The Knocks.
French Horn Rebellion is a Brooklyn electronic dance band formed in 2007 by Wisconsin-bred brothers Robert Perlick-Molinari and David Perlick Molinari. Robert Perlick-Molinari is a classically trained French horn player, who decided to start playing dance music while still attending the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University because he did not feel like he fit into the rigid world of classical music. AllMusic lists Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, the Pet Shop Boys, Gary Numan, Erasure and Depeche Mode among their influences. The band released their debut self-titled demo in 2007, and The Infinite Music of French Horn Rebellion in 2011. Their second record, Next Jack Swing Pt. 1, was released in 2014. Their EP, Foolin' Around, was also released in 2015. David Perlick-Molinari produced and engineered MGMT's 2005 Time To Pretend EP, and over the years the band has drawn comparisons to the fellow Brooklyn band, but their most recent tracks, on Foolin' Around, are decidedly more in the throwback rock & roll vein. The band has toured with the likes of Matt & Kim, Yelle, MGMT, Cut Copy, Two Door Cinema Club, The Knocks, The Drums, Hot Chip, of Montreal, St. Lucia, MNDR, HAERTS, Viceroy, Empire of the Sun, The B-52's, Cherub, Dillon Francis, JD Samson, Blondie, Rubblebucket, RAC, and Ghost Beach. They have also remixed artists such as Beyoncé and worked with JD Samson, Jody Watley and more.
Shares synth-pop, indie pop, electropop (subgenres); studio polished, digital clarity, maximalist (production style)
Shares synth-pop, electropop, disco (subgenres); rooftop, festival, urban night (atmosphere)
Shares playful, joyful, energetic (moods); rooftop, festival, urban night (atmosphere)
Shares playful, joyful, energetic (moods); studio polished, digital clarity, maximalist (production style)
Shares synth-pop, electropop, nu jazz (subgenres); studio polished, digital clarity, maximalist (production style)
Shares playful, joyful, energetic (moods); synth-pop, disco, indie pop (subgenres)
Shares synth-pop, electropop, nu jazz (subgenres); playful, joyful, energetic (moods)
Shares studio polished, digital clarity, maximalist (production style); playful, joyful, energetic (moods)
Shares disco, playful, falsetto, electropop (subgenre)
Cassette uses generative AI to enrich its catalog. How we use AI →