Orwell
French band Orwell emerged in the early 2000s as a comforting yet sophisticated presence that blended indie and baroque pop, recalling acts like Stereolab, Phoenix, Sean Lennon, and Sloan. After releasing their 2002 debut LP, Following Days, the Jérôme Didelot-fronted project followed with two more French releases before issuing their English-language crossover Continental in 2011. 2015's Exposition Universelle closed out the decade for the group, with Parcelle Brillante arriving in 2020.
Orwell was founded by frontman Jérôme Didelot in 2000 in Nancy, France. Along with original members Thierry Bellia and Alexandre Longo (both of whom went on to form bands of their own, Variety Lab and Cascadeur, respectively), Didelot released Orwell's first effort, a self-titled EP, that same year. After issuing recordings in Japan and France, Hidden Agenda released their 2002 debut full-length, Following Days (Des Lendemains), which featured contributions from Mederic Gontier of fellow French band Tahiti 80 and multi-instrumentalist Fugu. A pair of albums were released in the following years -- L'Archipel (2005) and Le Genie Humain (2007) -- as well as a compilation, Nouvelles D'Hier (2009), which was aimed at wooing an international audience.
The group's English-language breakthrough, Continental, appeared in 2011. The LP included Krautrock flavor and some German singing, as well as the first instance that an Orwell album was performed almost entirely in English. Four years and an EP later, they returned with their fifth album, Exposition Universelle. In addition to Didelot, the updated Orwell lineup included Jacques Tellitocci (vibraphone, vocals), Regis Nesti (drums), and Emmanuel Harang (bass), who were joined by flutist and pianist Renaldo Greco. They closed the decade with the collaborative Paris-Tokyo Single Club with Milk's Taro Umebayashi.
2020 was busier than usual for Didelot and Orwell. First, they released the full-length Parcelle Brillante, featuring guests Armelle Pioline and Sugar Me. The LP was followed by the covers EP Sunny Songs for Winter, which featured takes on the Kinks' "Mr. Pleasant" and the Beach Boys' "The Man with All the Toys."
© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo
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Parcelle brillante
French Music - Released by Europop 2000 on 24 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sunny Songs for Winter
Pop - Released by Europop 2000 on 24 Dec 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Following Days
Pop - Released by Hidden Agenda Records on 27 Aug 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Exposition universelle
French Music - Released by Europop 2000 on 11 Sep 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Now That You Are The Night
Indie Pop - Released by Europop 2000 on 9 Jul 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Summer of '82 (Radio Edit)
Pop/Rock - Released by Pigalle Production on 1 Jan 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Des lendemains (Édition anniversaire)
French Music - Released by Europop 2000 on 10 Jun 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Jamais assez (feat. Armelle Pioline)
French Music - Released by Europop 2000 on 21 Feb 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rapido (remix)
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by D'Luna Records on 27 Sep 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
No creas
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by D'Luna Records on 26 Oct 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Esto no es perfecto
Hip-Hop/Rap - Released by D'Luna Records on 17 Nov 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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