STREAM: Kitsuné Parisien II LP / via AOL Spinner
LISTEN: Tomorrow's World "So Long, My Love" via Soundcloud / via Stereogum
DOWNLOAD: Jerry Bouthier's Kitsuné Parisien II minimix / direct mp3

French label extraordinaire Kitsuné sees the release of the brand new Kitsuné Parisien II compilation today in North America on double LP, vinyl, and cd.  The album is streaming in its entirety via AOL Spinner, and  Stereogum has the lead off track from the album  -- the lush-sounding "So Long, My Love" from Tomorrow's World, the new side project from Air's Jean-Benoit Dunckel that also features Lou Hayter from New Young Pony Club on vocals.  A follow up to the France focused Kitsuné Parisien and in the tradition of the notable Kitsuné Maison compilations, Kitsuné Parisien II is a colorful collection of emerging bands and from the vibrant Parisien scenes and beyond, singling out a talented new breed -- from the romantic city’s (and it's neighbors) freshest players to damp cellar laptop dwellers from the likes of Juveniles, Beataucue, We Are Knights, Owelle, and more.  Covering the many bases of electropop, indie-dance, club and everything in between, Kitsuné Parisien II - selected by Kitsuné chef Gildas Loaëc and designed by night bird / graffiti artist André - offers a lively snapshot of what is cooking up for 2012 in Paris and beyond. The full cast of artists from Kitsuné Parisien II is listed in more detail below.

In addition to the arrival of the new Kitsuné Parisien II compilation, there is plenty more happening on the North American front for the label, including many Kitsuné artists hitting our shores. Dates have been announced for the Kitsuné Club Night US Tour, with a variety of dates including Computer Magic, Crystal Fighters, Gigamesh, and others, hitting New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, as well as SXSW in Austin and Winter Music Conference in Miami. Beyond that, Kitsuné's Housse de Racket will be hitting this year's edition of Coachella as well, on April 15th and 22nd in Indio, CA.

As the label becomes more global, they continue to focus on the emerging scenes from other parts of the world. The brand new series of compilation : Kitsuné AMERICA, a planned collection focusing on emerging talent from the US music scene, has been announced for May 7th.

And last but certainly not least, March 29th will mark the opening of the inaugural North American store of the French brand Maison Kitsuné. Conceived as an engaging experience in fashion,  music,  design and lifestyle, Maison Kitsuné at NoMad (North Madison) New York will present a unique retail experience in a forward-thinking and lively space. The highly anticipated NoMad Hotel at Broadway and 28th will provide a luxurious and modern locale for the 1,000 sq foot store.
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Kitsuné Club Night US Tour Dates

THR 3/8    New York    NY    Santos Party House    $10
Crystal Fighters (live), Gigamesh, Plastic Plates, Computer Magic (live)

FRI 3/9    San Francisco    CA    Mezzanine    $12/$15
Crystal Fighters (live), Gigamesh, Computer Magic (live)

SAT 3/10    Santa Monica    CA    The Central        $12/$15
Crystal Fighters , Kevin of Two Door Cinema Club DJ Set, Plastic Plates     

FRI 3/16 Austin TX, SXSW, Malverde

THR 3/22 Miami FL Pool Party, Standard Hotel

SAT 3/24 Miami FL Soho House

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Introducing you to Kitsuné’s promising finds, the new Parisian cuvée is here…

>> TOMORROW'S WORLD
Air’s Jean-Benoit Dunckel kicks off his new side project on Kitsuné. Always one to push boundaries, Jean-Benoit has teamed up with Lou Hayter the keyboard player from New Young Pony Club, also a vocalist in her own outfit The New Sins. For their first track to see the light of day he gets his TR808 drum machine and vintage six-strings out to create an impressive wall of sound built from his fuzz guitars and Lou’s ethereal vocals. With its cold wave feel, think Velvet Underground meets Suicide, ‘So Long My Love’ opens up yet more new directions for this enfant terrible of French pop.

>> JUVENILES
The Breton trio has recently released a single on Kitsuné (‘We Are Young’) and is back for more. Juveniles’ upbeat pop effortlessly combines French and Anglo-Saxon references. Here ‘Ambitions’ recalls the 80s new wave’s extravagant productions and will create havoc in les boums (school parties).

>> OWLLE
Beware… big shot here. Although she’s only just started gigging around, Owlle looks set to become a household name in no time. Indeed this gifted singer/songwriter is no random candidate, self-taught, equally at ease behind guitars or computers, this enigmatically named lady bares her soul in solid compositions and belts them out accordingly. Remember where you heard it first…

>> LESCOP
For foreign bands, the English language is the necessary passport to achieve international recognition, but LESCOP is having none of it. Despite having originated in London when an extensive collaboration with (other expats) John & Jehn was sealed, the project of this young French singer sticks to his native language. The idea is to create a new alternative by perverting France’s mainstream pop, la variété, with dangerous texts and burning musical ideas whilst brewing influences from all over (Bowie, Taxi Girl, Mishima, disco…).

>> ABOUT THE GIRL
Another discovery made in Reims, the city of Yuksek, The Shoes, Brondiski … and champagne. About The Girl is Amandine, who helped by her local talented friends is preparing an onslaught on pop. Accessible yet quite unique, rich in inspiration and references, she is on a mission to rescue pop from dull blandness.

>> NAMELESS
France is known for nurturing bands (usually formed at school) who revisit rock’s great tradition. Nameless lean more towards the 80s but still wear by their guitars. No newcomers, they have steadily built their profile over the years with much touring. ‘Angelina’, their contribution to Parisien II shows they’re rather tight and pretty good at coming up with sharp choruses.

>> BIRKII
Already featured on the first Parisien compilation with ‘Shade Of A Doubt’, Birkii received much praise for her homemade emotive electropop. New track ‘Holy War’ offers a similar verve which is all subtlety, orchestral-like arrangements, shimmering synths and vocal melodies you want to sing along to… a dreamed up garden where her - definitely French - romantic moods take off for an international flight.

>> BEATAUCUE
These two need no introduction… the bad boys of French electro are unstoppable. After establishing themselves with a batch of bangers and convincing remixes (Kylie, Two Door Cinema Club, Yelle, Pony Pony Run Run, Florrie, Mika…), the pair’s big sound is evolving, getting clubbier, one might say maturing… and is soon to take over stadiums.

>> WE ARE KNIGHTS
We sure like electro-tinted rock at Kitsuné. Typical of a certain Paris scene that generates fresh results out of tried-and-tested influences, We Are Knights craft a kind of melancholic new-wave that draws from Classics such as My Bloody Valentine and Can…

>> WOLFPACK BEARTRACK
An original lot… Based around three musicians Wolfpack Beartrack is a collective that gathers artists, graphic designers, writers and the likes. You can tell by listening to ‘Modern Realm’, which sounds like the Miami Vice theme produced by Yuksek with er… Eminem rapping on top, that their inspiration comes from all over. But hey, we like hip-hop too at Kitsuné, just not the usual kind.

>> SLOWDANCE
We don’t know a great deal about Slowdance apart from the fact that they’re a Brooklyn-based band with a French singer, that they write pop tunes about love and cruelty and sound like The Smiths fronted by Anne Sylvestre (famous French 60s singer for kids), which is enough to get us interested. There is a strong Brooklyn-Paris connection these days, you know that arty rocky thing…

>> EXOTICA
This supergroup is the lovechild of Chateau Marmont’s Julien Galner and singer/songwriter Clara Cometti (ex-Koko Von Napoo now solo). United by a fondness for retro synths and la variété from yore, which seems so stylish compared to today’s charts, these two strong characters do it all together, the writing, arranging and production.

>> LA//KVLKD
Watch out, this is one French band with ambition. Despite their cryptical name (a play on words which means stampede) LA//KVLKD aren’t a punk garage band but a bunch of musicians whose curiosity knows no limit. The way they mix introspective pop-rock and whimsical electro here is very Kitsuné indeed.

>> PYRAMID
That French electronic sound as defined by Daft Punk’s ‘Discovery’ has inspired a whole generation of bedroom composers (in France and beyond). Pyramid is such individual, a 21 year old student with a passion for majestic electro. Merci les Daft.

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Kitsuné Parisien II
Out Now on Kitsuné
Tracklist:
TOMORROW'S WORLD - So Long, My Love
JUVENILES - Ambitions
OWLLE - Free (Parisien Mix)
LESCOP - La Foret
ABOUT THE GIRL - Tiger Evolution
NAMELESS - Angelina
BIRKII - Holy War
BEATAUCUE - Kiho
WE ARE KNIGHTS - Tears
WOLFPACK BEARTRACK - Modern Realm
SLOWDANCE - Airports
EXOTICA - Spectrum (Radio edit)
LA//KVLKD - Zephyr
PYRAMID - The Race

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