This song is just blowing my mind with every listen! This starts off with the guitar strum that’s associated with country and western music, then the vocals come in – husky, bluesy and raw. The only kind of thing that would have caused this would have been years of hard living, a serious nicotine addiction and living pain.

When all the instruments come in it’s delightful- you have the signature wall of sound reminiscent of Phil Spector from the 60s but then you’ve got the Motown backbeat – and this is what sold it for me! Just the overall vibe of the song! There’s a Hammond organ in there, the guitar solo is layered – I get the feeling the guitar has an octave pedal plugged in for this…. Also there’s a cowbell on there on the 1 and 3 beat well as a castanet randomly! The big octaves on the piano really give it some depth…

The spoken word part at 2:27 is very Neil Tennant by the way!

This is definitely in my top 5 to be my track of the year….

Dead Chic originally formed from the partnership between Andy Balcon and Damien Félix. They met a few years ago while touring with their respective bands (Heymooshaker and Catfish), frequently crossing paths on the road and catching up backstage to discuss music, idols, and the possibility of collaborating. After a few years without crossing paths, they reconnected in the fall of 2020. Before discussing musical influences, Andy and Damien shared visual references, illustrations, and landscapes that would form the foundation and direction of their work. The idea of working together then took a serious turn, and after some exchanges, “Too Far Gone,” their first track, was released in 2022.

They were then joined by Rémi Ferbus on drums (known for his work with Kimberose, Mélissa Laveaux, among others), who had previously collaborated with Andy; and Mathis Akengin on keyboards, a long-time collaborator of Damien in Catfish. Over the years, through tours and travels, the musicians have honed their skills, enriched their cultural knowledge, and defined their individual styles. The combination of the four immediately sparked.

listen to ‘Paris’ here now

Review by Del Osei-Owusu