Gwendoline
Sarcastic, deadpan French coldwave that feels like a cheap beer in a dark basement. Gritty drum machines and cynical poetry for the aimless and the restless.
Sarcastic, deadpan French coldwave that feels like a cheap beer in a dark basement. Gritty drum machines and cynical poetry for the aimless and the restless.
Gwendoline is a Rennes-based duo consisting of Micka and Pierre, prominent figures in the contemporary French 'shlagwave' movement. Emerging in 2017, they have revitalized the coldwave genre by stripping away its gothic pretension and replacing it with a gritty, DIY realism.
Their sound is characterized by a minimalist use of drum machines (often sounding like vintage Roland or Korg presets), driving post-punk basslines, and a deadpan vocal delivery that sits somewhere between narration and a bored shrug. Culturally, they occupy a space of 'precarious chic,' critiquing the neoliberal 'start-up' culture of France while celebrating the mundane rituals of the working class and the disillusioned youth. Their 2020 album 'Chevalier Ricard' solidified their position as leaders of a new wave of French post-punk, earning critical acclaim for its honesty and caustic humor. They are frequently associated with the 'Born Bad Records' aesthetic, even when self-releasing, and serve as a bridge between the 80s coldwave of bands like Marquis de Sade and the modern, synth-heavy underground of Paris and Brittany.
Shares post-punk, darkwave, synth-pop (subgenres); lo_fi, bedroom_production, drum_machine (production style)
Shares post-punk, darkwave, synth-pop (subgenres); brooding, restless, melancholic (moods)
Shares post-punk, darkwave, synth-pop (subgenres); brooding, restless, melancholic (moods)
Shares post-punk, darkwave, synth-pop (subgenres); brooding, restless, melancholic (moods)
Shares post-punk, darkwave, synth-pop (subgenres); drum machine, keys/synth, electric guitar (instrumentation)
Shares post-punk, darkwave (subgenres); lo_fi, drum_machine, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares lo_fi, bedroom_production, drum_machine (production style); post-punk, synth-pop (subgenres)
Shares post-punk, darkwave, synth-pop (subgenres); drum machine, keys/synth, electric guitar (instrumentation)
Shares post-punk, darkwave, synth-pop (subgenres); brooding, restless, melancholic (moods)
Shares post-punk, darkwave (subgenres); lo_fi, drum_machine, analog_warmth (production style)
Shares coldwave, post-punk, darkwave, nasal (signature)
Shares coldwave, post-punk, darkwave, bedroom_production (signature)
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