***Le Pain crafts dreamy, glistening pop that’s as enchanting as it is effortless. Their twist on 1960’s French pop is an ode to twee and indie pop as much as it is to Johnny Marr. Imagine François Hardy waltzing through a dew-soaked meadow with The Cardigans buzzing on the radio. The Los Angeles-based quartet—featuring members of Peel Dream Magazine, Slippers, and Class Actress—introduces their debut LP, Dirge Technique, a heavily-anticipated, shimmering spell of melody and mood.The album opens with “Troisième Groupe,” setting the tone with velvety vocals, opalescent guitar lines, and a soft, steady pulse that draws listeners into an iridescent dreamworld. English and French lyrics entwine, casting a gentle spell. Songs shift between airy daydreams and moments of ecstatic distortion. Lead single “Running of the Bulls” captures this arc perfectly, blooming from bright crystalline bliss into wild, fuzzy chaos. The journey closes with “Rachel Veut Danser,” a disco-laced, retro swirl that spins like a glittering mirrorball at the edge of a fever dream.
LP $22.25
TBD