(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): GRAND DÉTOUR

Thursday, 25 August 2016

GRAND DÉTOUR

Band: GRAND DÉTOUR

Genres: Punk / Post-Rock / Post-Hardcore / Post-Metal / Ambient / Instru-metal / Prog
Related artists: Bökanövsky and Child Meadow.
Country: Toulon FRANCE
Years Active: 2012-present
Song: "Trabao y Arrebato"
Album: "Tripalium"
Year: 2016
For fans of: Pelican, Russian Circles, Tomydeepestego, Finger Of God, Mogwai, Godspeed, You! Black Emperor, Ornaments, Omega Massif, Ahleuchatistas, Maserati, K.C. Milian, Don Caballero, The Rabbit Theory, Explosions In The Sky, Mono, Glasir, NY In 64 and Town Portal.

Label(s): too many to list
This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #5.

You can download: the August Mix#8 right here or get the new September 2016 Mix#9 here.

GRAND DÉTOUR, it's like orchestral instru-metal with just the basics, drums, bass and guitars layered over a number of genres, including hardcore, post-rock, prog and screamo (minus the screaming). The songs range from dreamy and serene to powerful, thick stuff, with most tracks being on the heavier side of post-metal and post-hardcore, but not nearly as massive as some of the well established bands in the genre. If Amanda Woodward and Sed Non Satiata decided to listen to tons of Pelican, Russian Circles, Tomydeepestego, Town Portal and then decided to go instrumental it would pretty much sound like GRAND DÉTOUR.

I was first introduced to the band via their debut output, 2013's 'Grand Détour' EP which consists of five very good songs that were very accurate initial insights into the band, their sound and where they were heading three years later. My favourite tracks are "Trahis par la Soif", which is a bouncy romp not unlike Don Caballero, and "Sourd Comme un Livre D'histoire" that is even more playful but includes much heavier moments.

In 2016 the band released 'Tripalium', on which every track has its own great part, if not numerous. The opener "Demi-chaine" boasts an ethereal, dreamy section from 1:45 and a cool little ending led in by bass at about 3:35 that leads into dancey/chuggy territory by the end. "Trabajo y Arrebato" is littered with playfully catchy guitar progressions and is my favourite song on the record, with hints of Amanda Woodward, Sed Non Satiata and Gantz. "Révolte en solde" is the darkest song on the record, incorporating a lot of heavy riffs but the songs never gets into Pelican or Omega Massif territory. "Les deux pieds dans le vide" is slow and more of an ambient track at only 2:38. "L'entre deux mers" begins right away with some catchy as fuck post-rock/post-hardcore with jangles that would make midwestern 90s emo bands stand up and applaud and climaxes at 2:38 in fine European fashion. "Arbeit und Rhythmus" is short but contains the best part on the album at 1:47 with an unreal finger tapping section that'll have you bobbin' along in no time."Hayekeynes" is 1:19 of awkward noise, "En bon père de famille" is mad chill and closer "La pénibilité et la crasse" is extremely well-constructed and ornate, with a killer midsection of jangly mcjangersons that transition to an epic ending.

This instrumental screamo/post-hardcore band is excellent and their 'Tripalium' 12" is currently tied with Tomydeepestego's new record for the best instrumental album of 2016. I have the entire GRAND DÉTOUR discography for sale in the Zegema Beach Records distro which are linked below.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2013 - Tripalium 12"LP (stream/donate/download here) [buy here]

2016 - Grand Détour 12"EP (stream/donate/download here) [buy here]

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(2016) GRAND DÉTOUR - "Trabajo y Arrebato" (from 'Tripalium')