Il Est Vilaine

For ten years now, Il Est Vilaine has been igniting dance floors with an electro sound laced with gritty rock that evokes the New York of the Bush Tetras or the Tokyo of YMO rather than the galettes of Pont-Aven. It was in Paris, not Saint-Malo, that the two partners met, and from there, following in the footsteps of the Kill The DJ stable before them, they revived the synthesis of new wave and techno, disco and surf rock, for the joy of anyone who (still) dances like Ian Curtis. Ever since Scandale, their first EP on Dialect recordings, and Surf Rider on Lumière Noire, the duo has carved out a solid reputation. They could have kept cruising on this highway of clubbing, but that was without counting on their free spirit and mischievous eclecticism. With their debut album released in 2021, Les Mystères de Lorient, a luxurious distillation of the two comrades' musical culture ranging from Devo to DAF and Christophe's rock period, they proved they move effortlessly across genres. After a post-pandemic period and occasional appearances, Il Est Vilaine returned to action in 2024 to blow out their 10 candles with Kool Menthol, an irresistible discoid EP, and a memorable gig at Sample Bagnolet. Then, because the digital world is full of surprises, "Surf Rider", the classic released 10 years ago, bounced back like a boomerang across the global web. Used by choreographer Martha Nichols and energized by the intensity of her dancers, it revived its hypnotic potential and caught the ear of filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino, who made it one of the leitmotifs of La Grazia, his new film unveiled at the Mostra 2025. Nothing but good vibes for the upcoming album, slated for 2026!