Abacaxi

Julien Desprez (guitar), Jean Francois Riffaud (bass), Francesco Pastacaldi (drums/synth)

Somewhere between noise, funkrock (with sometimes a hint of reggaeton) and sound art, ABACAXI has a heart full of candy and a skin made of spikes.
Formed by Julien Desprez, this brand new incarnation of the classic rock line-up guitar/bass/drums presents an intense electric sound sculpture, carved by the rock idiom.
The trio creates an highly energetic new music full of noisy brightness and sharp edges - completed by a choreography of flashlights.

The remarkable new power trio Abacaxi—“pineapple” in Portuguese—summoned an exhilarating fresh sound, geared around maverick guitarist Julien Desprez. Elements of abstraction, snarly noise and prog mixed with the guitarist’s gymnastic, dance-like maneuvers on an array of floor pedals, including stage lighting controls. (…) Abacaxi is one of the more exciting, genre-blurring and multisensory new ensembles around. (Josef Woodard, DownBeat)

Distressed metallic contusions deified the abrupt, everyone had a sonic impediment, and the bright white flickershow lighting was manually controlled by the players. This might account for the borderline ridiculous tap-dancing routines around their crowded semi-circle of effects pedals, as a month's worth of compacted, nervy excitement was crammed into however many minutes they were speeding at full pelt, juddering, jolting and spasming as they demanded total attention to heavy detail. Go see them next time, for sure! (Martin Longley, Jazzwise)

Un total coup de foudre. (Jérôme Provençal, Les Inrockuptibles)