Last night (September 14), the polka-dotted duo Angine de Poitrine made their US TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – and used the occasion to debut a new song, Zugzegk.
Brandishing their new Godin double-neck guitar/bass, Khn started the song with a robotic voice that has since become synonymous with the Dada-ist band, before launching into the microtonal, looped frenzy we’ve come to expect from them. It’s noodly, it’s upbeat, but somehow, still catchy – and just over four minutes long.
The Québécois duo – guitarist/bassist Khn and drummer Klek – are undoubtedly one of this year’s breakout acts. After their session on Seattle radio station KEXP went viral, the band – complete with oversized papier-mâché masks, oversized noses, and polka dot costumes – racked up millions of streams and graced the lineup of a multitude of major festivals.
Speaking about their sudden rise to the top, guitarist Khn recently told Guitar World, “It would be presumptuous to think that it’s only about the music. Because while we make an honest effort to create fun and original tunes, there’s also an endless flow of amazing music being put out every day by people whose virtuosity knocks me out of my chair.
“Has the success of any rock band ever been only about the music? The music needs to be catchy, but it’s also about how people relate to it. Angine confusingly celebrating while also satirizing some of rock ’n’ roll’s clichés – all in good fun – might be what a lot of people needed.”
The microtonal mavericks are currently on a sold-out North American tour, which kicked off on September 9 at Le Poisson Rouge in New York.
