Although we've had the opportunity to be run over by Horskh a good number of times, the band hadn't played a headline show in Paris since 2018. In the meantime, the duo have become a trio, two albums have been released and, above all, Horskh have played a string of prestigious support slots (Carpenter Brut, Perturbator, Igorrr, Skinny Puppy...) to attract an audience that is bound to be won over by their unstoppable industrial assaults. Did the strategy pay off? We headed to Backtage by the Mill to find out: while there was no doubt about the power of the performance, it remained to be seen how the audience would respond. In fact, the line-up was pretty darn good: Le Périscope was inspired to book Sonic Area as the opening act, bringing together two of the finest projects on the French industrial scene.
Sonic Area
Sonic Area was the perfect 'beforskh': while Arco Trauma's project may not have much in common with the Besançon trio's furious violence, it was enough to get you in the mood without getting a muscle strain at the start of the evening. True to form, Sonic Area have mastered the effectiveness of sobriety, how to do a lot with very little, a form of discretion and elegance that doesn't overdo it but serves the project and gives life to a unique universe. There are a few flowers on top of his gear and then, of course, there's always that mysterious mask on which the audience can project whatever they want, whatever they feel in the music.
The set is devoted to Ki, the latest album and its very Zen theme, inspired by Japan. The music is soothing, organic sounds blend with electronics, traditional with futuristic. With delicacy, this synthetic spectrum hypnotises a large audience and delivers a performance that is always enigmatic and fascinating. While we're curious to see what horizons Sonic Area will take us to in the future, we've once again had confirmation that this artist is as discreet as he is indispensable (he haunts a huge number of other projects through his collaborations, remixes and other production and mastering work) and that Sonic Area is part of what is most precious about ambient, industrial and electronic music in France.
Horskh
For a number of years now, we've noted with some dismay, it has to be said, that there's an inexplicable trend in the Parisian public: quite a few of these weirdos pronounce it 'Horchque' despite all logic and especially despite a clearly positioned h at the end of the word. In 2024, Parisians still haven't learned to read and the debate is still raging: Horskh or Horchque? Who cares? Horskh isn't meant to be pronounced. Horskh hits you right in the face and then, with your breath taken away, you don't really want to bring it up again and discuss linguistics.
Our initial questions about the trio's reception were immediately answered by enthusiastic roars: the tactic of being spotted opening for bigger bands was the right one, and Horskh now has a horde of fans, from the old faithful to the newcomers... And, above all, the crowd is hot. Rarely have we seen such energy for the band, who are finally the stars of the evening. The show is a perfect fit: Horskh have evolved and now have a repertoire packed with ultra-effective tracks with an instant impact. The lighting is less aggressive than before, and the explosive strobes are less retina-destroying, as if to accompany a shift towards a more unifying approach, an accessibility in the noble sense of the word that goes hand in hand with growing popularity. Riffs that bite hard, beats that pack a punch, Bastien's energy, always possessed, and his raging vocals that are so infectious: Horskh is a supercharged, visceral, ultra-joyful steamroller.
As for the setlist, the new tracks were a hit (Turbine On to kick off the evening sets a special kind of mood!) but we were also pleasantly surprised to still be treated to a few 'old favourites': Strayed Away may no longer open the carnage, but Engaged and Confused, Victim and Damaged Ropes haven't aged a bit. On the other hand, we easily lose 10 years of life expectancy during the concert. At the same time, don't we live to die? Horskh live is to die for but makes you feel more alive too.
