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Trisomie 21

Passions Divisees LP

Trisomie 21 is a post punk band formed in 1981 by Phillipe Lomprez (vocals, drums) and Hervé Lomprez (guitar, electronics), two brothers from Abscon, in the North of France. They began composing songs at the age of 16 while studying at school. The brothers were influenced by Kraftwerk, The Residents, Yello, P.I.L as well as the films of George A. Romero. Their music consists of lush soundscapes that do not easily fit into any one category. Lyrics are sung in English because in the north of France the duo sought to contradict the trend at the time for everything to be sung in French. Musically their mood is melancholic and one can hear traces of Joy Division, Durutti Column and The Cure. Since 1983 they’ve recorded 15 albums and appeared on numerous compilations and remain active to this day.

After the success of the debut mini-LP the band returned to the studio and spent October 1983 to March 1984 recording their sophomore album. ‘Passions divisées’ was released by Stechak Products in October 1984. Pascal Tison was replaced by Laurent Dagnicourt on bass guitar. Featuring eight cold wave compositions including the instrumental funeral waltz “La fête triste”. Songs cross genres, moving from post-punk to synthetic electronics. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The LP is housed in a replica of the original jacket featuring a artwork by Sourdeval and includes a photo postcard featuring lyrics and notes.

In early 1982 they set out to record their first album joined by Jean Michel Matuszak (keyboards) and Pascal Tison (bass). Soon after that they sent out a demo tape and the Amiens-based record company Stechak offered them a deal. The mini-LP ''Le Repos des Enfants Heureux'' was released in January 1983. It was received well by both the public and the media, especially outside of France. Originally featuring 5 compositions, we’ve added 4 demos never before released on vinyl. All compositions, lyrics and music were made collectively from shared experiences bonding over travels, literature and cinema. All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The LP is housed in a replica of the original jacket featuring a black and white collage by Nadia Zibirskaïa and each copy includes a photo postcard featuring lyrics and notes.

Over the course of the next two years the band assembled eleven bedroom recordings that would become one of the most cherished DIY obscurities of its kind. Their debut album ‘Space Museum’ was released in 1982 on cassette by In Phaze Records. All of the songs were mixed by label boss Pat Bermingham on 8-track tape at The Shed, in Ilford, which was literally a garden shed. The band's music and lyrics were heavily indebted to science fiction, in particular the 1960s television series Doctor Who. ‘Space Museum’ is an unveiling of atmospheric, minimalist post punk supported by bright melodies. The music combines drum machines and synths with acoustic guitar and toy drums whilst also experimenting with samples between tracks. Lyrics deal with space travel and a general sense of dejection. Representing a bubbling spirit within the underground, they foreshadowed an entire world of independent music which would emerge across the 80’s and well into the 90’s. For this reissue we’ve included two bonus tracks from the band’s archive, “Platform 6” originally released on the B-side of the second single by Exhibit ‘A’, this song features only Dan and Matthew and is the first Solid Space track ever recorded. “Tutti Lo Sanno” is a cover of In Phaze label mates Marine Girls, though the lyrics have been changed to suit the gender of the new singer.

Each song has been carefully remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The record is sleeved in a replica of the cassette artwork featuring the Cybermen and Jamie from the Doctor Who episode ''The Wheel in Space''. Every copy includes a double sided 11x11 insert with lyrics, notes and never before seen photographs of the band taken by Maf as well as a postcard featuring an original advert for the cassette.