Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains

Frànçois & the Atlas Mountains are a French/British pop group, combining indie pop, folk pop, and African rhythms.

History

The band is led by Brussels-based French musician François Marry, who has also been a touring member of Camera Obscura. Other members also play in Petit Fantôme, Jaune!, Archipel and Babe.^[1] After growing up in Saintes, and studying at La Rochelle, Marry relocated to Bristol in 2003.^[2][3]

The band's first album was the mostly live The People To Forget, released in 2006 on Bristol's micro label Stitch-Stitch .

The band's second album, Plaine Inondable, was released in 2009 on Fence Records in the UK and on Talitres in France to critical acclaim, receiving a four star review from The Scotsman.^[4]

The band's third album, E Volo Love, was released in 2012, and was also positively received, with The Skinny writer Chris Buckle giving it four stars out of five and describing it as "unabashedly romantic...a study in understatement delivered with finesse", and Simon Price in The Independent decsribing it as "gentle indie-pop jangle with echoes of Afropop".^[5][6] The album received a 7/10 rating from the NME.^[7]

Marry has also released several lo-fi tapes and records.

Musical style

The band's music incorporates French and English lyrics, with African rhythms, with Malian rhythms and highlife identified by reviewers.^[8][9][10] Marry's vocals have been described as "appealingly weedy", with a comparison made to Peter Perrett.^[6]

Discography

Albums

• The People To Forget (2006), Stitch-Stitch
• Plaine Inondable (2009), Fence/Talitres
• E Volo Love (2012), Domino
• Piano Ombre (2014), Domino
• Solide Mirage (2017), Domino

EPs

• Brother (2007), Lejos Discos
• Her River Raves Recollections (2009), Stitch-Stitch
• "L'Homme Tranquille" (2015), Domino

Singles

• "Piscine" (2011), Domino
• "Les Plus Beaux" (2012), Domino
• "Gold Mountain" (2012), Domino - split single with Slow Club, released for Record Store Day
• "Edge of Town" (2012), Domino

Frànçois solo/other releases

Albums

• Frànçois et Luc - Quatre Pistes (2003), CD-R, split with Luc
• Les Anciennes Falaises (2004), Stitch-Stitch (CD-R)
• Sleeping states/Frànçois (2006), Undereducated - split cassette
• The Autoroute tapes, (2004) Stitch-Stitch - cassette, limited to 20 copies
• The Nympheas tapes, (2015) Iwillplaythissongonceagain - cassette, limited to 7 copies

EPs

• Forests Songs (2006), Stitch-Stitch - split with Ray Rumours

Singles

• "Swimmers, Drifters" (2008), Too Pure Singles Club - split with Ray Rumours

References

External links

• Official website