Angine de Poitrine – Vol.II
The heightened media interest (both social and musical) between the 2024 debut album from Quebec’s microtonal math-rock instrumental duo Angine de Poitrine and new album Vol.II (which, like its predecessor, features six tracks that are akin to asymmetrical and syncopated, fast-paced puzzle pieces) can be traced back directly to their December 2025 performance at ESMA in Rennes, in France.
Recorded and filmed for KEXP, the YouTube video of the broadcast went viral (7.7M views and counting), followed by more recent YT observations and overviews from Rick Beato, Wings Of Pegasus and Justin Hawkins Rides Again, to name but three of many.
What should also be taken into consideration however is the impacting 'double take' look/ striking image of Khn de Poitrine (microtonal guitar, bass, loops) and Klek de Poitrine (drums, percussion), who dress in paper mâché face covers and related polka-dot attire (and have their own alien vocal language).
As such, the imagery was clearly as important to that viral video spiralling as the music – arguably more so.
That being said it’s the music that drives what Angine de Poitrine are all about and, in the case of Vol.II, pushing their sound even further into the left field.
Three of the four songs that formed the ESMA set make up the first half of Vol.II, starting with 'Fabienk,' which opens with the strange alien vocal language of the band before hitting an off-kilter rhythm where looped riffs, bass and drums drive along in syncopated harmony (if there is such a thing; if there wasn’t, there is now).
'Fabienk' even has room for a mid-song, bass driven funk section and a further dash of treated alien voice language.
In short, absolutely mental. But, at the same time, absolutely mesmerizing (particularly in technique).
'Mata Zyklek' is a six-minute blast of instrumental microtonal new wave/ punk.
Instrumentation wise and with those strange, interspersed vocalisations it’s very much Angine de Poitrine, but its roots could well be imbedded in the 'No Wave'/ New York underground jazz/ punk scene of the late 70s.
'Sarniezz' is funk rock of not so much the 21st century as the 25th (although whether Buck Rogers would approve is anyone’s guess).
Off-beat, and with notes between the ones our ears are familiar and comfortable with (the very definition of microtonal music), 'Sarniezz' was the opening track of the KSAN broadcast, and therefore the piece that got them noticed by the wider YouTube public (eliciting a response of either "wow!" or "wtaf?" depending on how expansive, receptive and exploratory your musical tastes are).
The near seven minute 'Utzp' is, by Angine de Poitrine standards, simple in concept and construct.
A bouncing Balkans styled polka, the song stops abruptly midway through before kicking back into a second half that’s akin to microtonal punk-metal, complete with wicked guitar solo.
By contrast 'Yor Zarad' is the duo at their most frantic, running the microtonal gamut of noise-rock, metal, punk and techno. It’s wild, it’s free(form), it’s… Angine de Poitrine.
The album closes with 'Angor,' a slower-build piece that moves into a higher rhythmic gear where eastern stylings and a mid-song jig-sequence offer ever-changing shifts of emphasis.
A sudden microtonal power chord concludes the track, and the album, in striking, didn’t-see-that-coming fashion.
Impressive microtonal techno math-rock or gimmicky stunt rock?
Truth be told either could apply, because it’s all in the ear, and in this case also the eye (the band’s visual imagery) of the music beholder.
And that leads to the one problem, that Angine de Poitrine, once all the polka-dotted dust settles, are heard and seen as a passing fad.
Those who champion the more creative, expressive and experimental will certainly hope not, but time (usually in 7/8, 6/8, or 5s and 10s) will tell.
Right now however they are doing just fine, merci beaucoup, as can be gleaned from how hot the tickets are for their upcoming UK shows and later European dates.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Purchase Vol.II and Vol.1 at: https://anginedepoitrine.bandcamp.com/album/vol-ii
Recorded and filmed for KEXP, the YouTube video of the broadcast went viral (7.7M views and counting), followed by more recent YT observations and overviews from Rick Beato, Wings Of Pegasus and Justin Hawkins Rides Again, to name but three of many.
What should also be taken into consideration however is the impacting 'double take' look/ striking image of Khn de Poitrine (microtonal guitar, bass, loops) and Klek de Poitrine (drums, percussion), who dress in paper mâché face covers and related polka-dot attire (and have their own alien vocal language).
As such, the imagery was clearly as important to that viral video spiralling as the music – arguably more so.
That being said it’s the music that drives what Angine de Poitrine are all about and, in the case of Vol.II, pushing their sound even further into the left field.
Three of the four songs that formed the ESMA set make up the first half of Vol.II, starting with 'Fabienk,' which opens with the strange alien vocal language of the band before hitting an off-kilter rhythm where looped riffs, bass and drums drive along in syncopated harmony (if there is such a thing; if there wasn’t, there is now).
'Fabienk' even has room for a mid-song, bass driven funk section and a further dash of treated alien voice language.
In short, absolutely mental. But, at the same time, absolutely mesmerizing (particularly in technique).
'Mata Zyklek' is a six-minute blast of instrumental microtonal new wave/ punk.
Instrumentation wise and with those strange, interspersed vocalisations it’s very much Angine de Poitrine, but its roots could well be imbedded in the 'No Wave'/ New York underground jazz/ punk scene of the late 70s.
'Sarniezz' is funk rock of not so much the 21st century as the 25th (although whether Buck Rogers would approve is anyone’s guess).
Off-beat, and with notes between the ones our ears are familiar and comfortable with (the very definition of microtonal music), 'Sarniezz' was the opening track of the KSAN broadcast, and therefore the piece that got them noticed by the wider YouTube public (eliciting a response of either "wow!" or "wtaf?" depending on how expansive, receptive and exploratory your musical tastes are).
The near seven minute 'Utzp' is, by Angine de Poitrine standards, simple in concept and construct.
A bouncing Balkans styled polka, the song stops abruptly midway through before kicking back into a second half that’s akin to microtonal punk-metal, complete with wicked guitar solo.
By contrast 'Yor Zarad' is the duo at their most frantic, running the microtonal gamut of noise-rock, metal, punk and techno. It’s wild, it’s free(form), it’s… Angine de Poitrine.
The album closes with 'Angor,' a slower-build piece that moves into a higher rhythmic gear where eastern stylings and a mid-song jig-sequence offer ever-changing shifts of emphasis.
A sudden microtonal power chord concludes the track, and the album, in striking, didn’t-see-that-coming fashion.
Impressive microtonal techno math-rock or gimmicky stunt rock?
Truth be told either could apply, because it’s all in the ear, and in this case also the eye (the band’s visual imagery) of the music beholder.
And that leads to the one problem, that Angine de Poitrine, once all the polka-dotted dust settles, are heard and seen as a passing fad.
Those who champion the more creative, expressive and experimental will certainly hope not, but time (usually in 7/8, 6/8, or 5s and 10s) will tell.
Right now however they are doing just fine, merci beaucoup, as can be gleaned from how hot the tickets are for their upcoming UK shows and later European dates.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Purchase Vol.II and Vol.1 at: https://anginedepoitrine.bandcamp.com/album/vol-ii