Il est Vilaine

For ten years now, Il Est Vilaine have been lighting up dance floors with an electro sound tinged with sleazy rock that evokes New York’s Bush Tetras or Tokyo’s YMO more than the records of Pont-Aven. It was indeed in Paris, not Saint-Malo, that the two companions met, and it was there that, following in the footsteps of the Kill The DJ label before them, they renewed the synthesis of new wave and techno, disco and surf rock, to the delight of those who still dance like Ian Curtis. Since Scandale, their first maxi released on Dialect Recordings, and Surf Rider on Lumière Noire, the duo have built a serious reputation. They could have continued along this path, driving straight down the clubbing highway, but that would have been without counting on their free spirit and mischievous eclecticism. With their first album, released in 2021, Les Mystères de Lorient, a luxurious synthesis of the musical culture of the two accomplices—from Devo to DAF and Christophe during his rock period—they proved they move comfortably between genres. After the post-pandemic period and a few appearances, Il Est Vilaine got back in the saddle in 2024 to celebrate their 10th anniversary with Kool Menthol, an irresistible disco-infused EP, and a memorable concert at Le Sample Bagnolet. Then, because today’s digital world is full of twists and turns, “Surf Rider,” the classic released 10 years ago, came back like a boomerang across the global web. Used by choreographer Martha Nichols and carried by the intensity of her dancers, it rekindled its hypnotic potential and, along the way, won over director Paolo Sorrentino, who made it one of the leitmotifs of La Grazia, his new film unveiled at the 2025 Mostra. So many good vibes for the forthcoming album, announced for 2026! You should like…