After a marathon tour that saw them rocking out in over 100 gigs across 14 countries and gracing the stages of Europe’s festival heavyweights like Sziget and Fusion (and let’s not forget Dour and Paléo), Rendez Vous has decidedly evolved: diving deeper into the global chaos, stripping down their sound to its gritty, guitar-laden bones, all while standing firm on a framework as sturdy as steel – think an unholy combination of Fugazi and Sonic Youth.

Gone are the days of sticking strictly to post-punk norms, now sprinkled with a healthy dose of digital distortion and glitches. Sheer feels like witnessing a dramatic showdown between humanity and technology – a pair of estranged siblings locked in a love-hate tussle, torn between a bear hug and a chokehold.

Watch the visualizer for “Sheer” below:

Founded in 2012 by Francis Mallari and Elliot Bethault (later adding Maxime Gendre and Simon Dubourg to the fray), Rendez-Vous embraces a philosophy of patience and intentionality, likening the lifecycle of a band to that of a long-standing relationship—complex yet rewarding over time. In an age where social media clamour is omnipresent, they opt for a quieter presence, adhering to the old adage that true contentment is found in privacy. This strategic withdrawal from the public gaze isn’t aimless but rather cultivates a sense of anticipation, prompting a more thoughtful engagement with their work. Their approach to managing time and public visibility suggests a sophisticated understanding of how to navigate the fleeting nature of musical fame, clearly marking them as savvy architects of their own history.

“Sheer” marks the latest release from Rendez Vous, following their highly acclaimed debut LP Superior State in 2018. This new album promises to take the band’s sound to the next level, blending moody new wave vibes with industrial grind to create a unique and captivating flurry of sound. Despite the world being even more bewildering than it was six years ago, Rendez Vous has managed to create an album that stands out among the rest.

The new single is available now on all streaming services. Downcast comes out May 17 via Artefact/Wedge.

Listen Here

Rendez-Vous will be embarking on a tour of North America and Europe in support of their new album Downcast, showcasing their acerbic brand of post-punk across a wide array of venues and festivals. Their journey includes a notable appearance at Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig Cold-Hearted Festival in Dresden and a performance at the Sanctum Festival in Chicago, among others.

Catch Rendez Vous live:

• 05.17 WGT (At Felsenkeller) – Leipzig (DE)
• 05.24 Release Party – TBA (FR)
• 05.25 Levitation Festival – Angers (FR)
• 06.30 Hellfest – Clisson (FR)
• 07.19 Dour Festival – Dour (BE)
• 09.12 Oslo Hackney – London (UK)
• 09.13 L’Aeronef – Lille (FR)
• 09.21 Les Docks – Lausanne (CH)
• 09.27 Elysée Montmartre – Paris (FR)
• 10.03 La Sirène – La Rochelle (FR)
• 10.04 Le Krakatoa – Bordeaux (FR)
• 10.05 Le Rex – Toulouse (FR)
• 10.15 La Coopérative – Clermont-Ferrand (FR)
• 10.16 Rockstore – Montpellier (FR)
• 10.09 Transbordeur – Lyon (FR)
• 10.24 LPR – New York (NY)
• 10.25 Sonia – Boston (MA)
• 10.26 L’Esco – Montréal (CAN)
• 10.27 The Garrison – Toronto (CAN)
• 10.31 Thalia Hall – Chicago (IL)
• 11.07 1720 – Los Angeles (CA)
• 11.09 Foro Indie Rocks – Mexico (MX)
• 11.15 Cold Hearted Fest – Bochum (DE)
• 11.16 Cold Hearted Fest – Dresden (DE)
• 11.29 La Carène – Brest (FR)
• 12.14 Temple – Athens (GR)More to come…

Follow Rendez Vous:

• Instagram
• Facebook

The post French Post-Punk Outfit Rendez Vous Announce New LP “Downcast” and Tour Dates — Watch Visualizer for “Sheer” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.

The band’s aesthetic recalls the power and intensity of bands like Killing Joke and Big Black, and this particular rendez-vous—if you will—is raw and nasty, featuring explosive percussion and growling vocals, all expanding from each warm vertebrae that pulses from the track’s hypnotic bass line.

Written and directed by Malone Mör, watch the video for “Superior State” below

Upcoming shows include:

• 21/06 – Shangai Minsheng Museum – Shangai
• 22/06 – K11 – Shenyang
• 29/06 – Fusion Festival
• 11/07 – Dour Festival
• 25/07 – Paleo Festival
• 13/08 – Sziget Festival
• 24/08 – Fuzz Club Festival – Eindhoven
• 02/10 – Paradiso – Amsterdam
• 27/11 – Zorlu Center – Istanbul
• 11/12 – Musik & Frieden – Berlin
• 12/12 – Molotow – Hamburg
• 13/12 – Gebäude 9 – Koln
• 29/01/2020 – La Cigale  – Paris

The post Rendez-Vous Strobe-out in Blistering Crimson in Their Video for “Superior State” appeared first on Post-Punk.com.