BORN BAD records 20 ans : Frustration + Zombie Zombie + Gwendoline + Leroy se meurt

Zombie Zombie

If record crates deserved a ​“play it again, Sam” sub-category, Funk Kraut, Zombie Zombie’s second LP on Born Bad Records (out March 07, 2025), would fit perfectly. The trio refines the formula they’ve been shaping for years: instrumental music played live, built around synths, drums and hypnotic motorik grooves. From opener ​“No Cruise Control”, the tone is set — a big bad sedan effortlessly eating up the distance at 120 BPM.

Recorded quickly by Laurent Deboisgisson in the studio of Cheveu’s singer, the album feels straightforward and open, far from the band’s previous concept record. Krikor Kouchian’s mix marks a real evolution in the band’s sound: restrained drum resampling, LinnDrum kicks blended with acoustic drums, and a wide stereo image full of dynamic. Nerds will also appreciate the liner notes detailing the twenty or so synths used throughout the record.

The album moves between endless motorik journeys and shorter, almost pop structures. ​“Densité” pushes the band into more polyphonic territory with suspended pads and outright chords, while ​“Jungle the Jungle” balances catchy and moody in equal measure. ​“Helix” brings in brass riffs and futuristic synths that feel ready-made for a niche TV series soundtrack. Elsewhere, ​“Aurillac Accident”, born from a chaotic soundcheck, transforms into a bitter ballad dissolving into dubby gravy.

Live, the band’s two drummers face each other, building the intricate rhythmic interplay that defines Zombie Zombie’s sound through drums, percussion and West Coast synth stabs. That energy runs through ​“Snare Attack”, ​“Double Z” and especially ​“Dodorian”, a cardio-heavy track driven by disco arpeggios, moving filters and flashes of synthetic brass. Closing track ​“Magnavox Odyssey” ends the album on a nostalgic but majestic note: no more singing in latin, back to basics — play it again, Sam.