Le Couleur Share Motorik Single 'Autobahn'

Quebecois alt-pop group Le Couleur have announced Comme dans un penthouse, a new concept LP due out September 22 via Lisbon Lux Records. Accompanying this announcement, the band have shared a new single entitled “Autobahn.”

A fittingly driving track, the song pulses with vintage krautrock touches, from its calculated synths to its motorik beat. First seen on their 2016 album P.O.P, “Autobahn” re-introduces Barbara, an assistant to a star that’s fallen from grace as she flees to a collection of islands off the coast of Panama with stolen money, constantly on the run, and addicted to the chase and the quest for new feelings.

Or, as Le Couleur describes, “Sentiments nouveaux.” Sadly, her journey ends in a catastrophic car crash; for her, the end is undoubtedly the best way out. Despite the grizzly subject matter, the track relishes in a Ballardian mania, as synths fizz and pop around the gory yet danceable climax. Like a speeding car careening off the freeway, “Autobahn” ignites chaos in everything in its path, including the dance floor. 

The band explains, “Barbara is the symbol of this relentless quest for intensity and thrill. Always on the hunt for renewed sensations, all that's left for her is to break down taboos in order to feel a tiny bit of excitement. Her tragic fate is inevitable. Death will steal her away as the ultimate pursuit.”

Since debuting a decade ago with 2013’s Voyage Love EP, Le Couleur have plumbed the depths of human desire, all while refining a unique spin on vintage dance music. The band, originally founded by by Laurence Giroux-Do (vocals), Patrick Gosselin (bass), and Steeven Chouinard (drums), has since expanded to include Philippe Beaudin (percussion, synths), Jean-Cimon Tellier (guitar), and Louis-Joseph Cliche (synths, vocals), and has used this extensive and versatile lineup to pursue the sounds of many varied influences, from 70s erotica, to psychedelia, disco, yéyé, and French chanson.

All of this results in the rich and irresistibly danceable performances for which the group have become known. Their upcoming LP marks their first full length effort since 2020’s Concorde; a promising return for a mysterious and alluring group.

Listen to the new single here:

Photo Credit: Andy Jon