Sathönay

Sathönay is a project by Nico Poisson, a member of NED, Totale Eclipse… and founder of S.K Records. Recently released in a trio version, this project is turned towards oriental music through the use of the electric saz (a large lute of Turkish origin, to cut a long story short). The oriental flavour is all there is to it, and the tracks are in a psychedelic pop vein. The line-up is made up of Nico Poisson on saz and vocals, François Virot on drums, known to us for Clara Clara and the project that bears his name, whose new album has just been released on Born Bad; on cello, Léonore Grollemund brings her extensive knowledge of Oriental and Balkan modes, which she has played in a number of traditional music groups, including the infamous Sex Drugs & Rebetiko.

The trio recorded their Lost a Home album in Marseille with English producer Daniel O’Sullivan, who has worked with Ulver, Grumbling Fur, Mothlite and, most recently, This is not this heat. His ample, celestial production adds a mystical dimension to the roughness of the oriental themes, which are sometimes melancholic, raging and primitive. Since 2019, Franck Testut has joined the trio on bass, following stints with Miss Goulash and Bananas at the audience, among others. The quartet is working on a new album for 2020. Now a four-piece with the addition of bassist Franck Testud, the group is working on its next album.