Sages Comme Des Sauvages is a French avant-pop duo that isn’t afraid to speak their mind, even if it’s too raw or explicit for some listeners. In a society where many things aren’t working, they come to turn denunciation into art and be a voice for all the victims of the system. They are gearing up for the release of their upcoming album, Maison Maquis, which will be out on May 17th, but in the meantime, they¡re leaving us gifts along the way. We already got to enjoy the single Répare ou pas, where we got a taste of the activist spirit that will mark the album’s theme, and now they come back hard presenting us with a new proposal: Le Loyer.
In case you don't know them yet, the duo is composed of Ava Carrère and Ismaël Colombani. The former is a self-taught musician who is also a visual artist, while the latter is a classically trained violinist and polyinstrumentalist from the experimental scene. Their influences range from folk to post-punk and electronic, but limiting themselves is not their thing. Maison Maquis will be their third album, and they have already told us that it will mark a new stage in their career and that it comes with hard-hitting lyrics, but ones that are completely necessary.
In this new single, the group makes us question the current state of how we live. They address themes that cannot go unnoticed: guarantees, deposits, agencies, and contracts. Are you happy living within these walls? What about square metres and ceiling height? The reality is that while luxury living is sold to us from screens, the majority of people struggle day after day to have a dignified life and housing. Whose neighbourhood is it? Who has taken it over, the neighbours or the tourists?
Although the tone of the song may seem even vengeful, the sound reminds us more of a ballad than a call to action. The sonorous details of the melody are impressive, and the two voices are perfectly intertwined. Special mention to the violin that appears progressively during the song. Ultimately, what they're advocating for is that melancholy of better times and those enormous desires for there to finally be a social change.