Horizontal/Vertical by Saintes

Saintes is the solo project of Paris based lo-fi recorder Anne-Sophie Le Creurer, begun in 2012 with a guitar, MA 120 Casio, some pedals, and her own burgeoning archive of samples. Though the project's defining characteristic may be grunge, it's a little harder to peg than that; French influences and odd production twists slip in. For live performances, the band becomes a trio, featuring Floriane Kaeser on synths and Charlie Xiorcal on drums. 'Horizontal/Vertical' is a much anticipated, honest to goodness debut for Le Creurer, a release committed to Crash Symbols more than a year ago and ultimately the inauguration of a much larger collaboration between the label and a range of new French bands. Le Creurer being a founding member of French dark wave and synth collective, nøthing, it only made sense to plan a partnership for releasing new material from their other associated artists. 'Horizontal/Vertical' is an effortless showcase of diverse influences, varied vocal treatments and instrumentation that evokes garage rock or new wave in one breath, and France's own distinctive songwriting traditions in another.

"Saintes' Horizontal/Vertical is a fearless record of experimental synths, dusted-off samples, and Anne-Sophie's ethereal croon. She maneuvers with ease into styles like grunge and Spector-esque pop as though each genre shared DNA. She can get as heavy as a My Bloody Valentine set performed in a cubby hole and as breezy as eating cotton candy on the boardwalk." -Impose Magazine

...a juggling of styles, which never seems forced.” -Vice

"...a charming, sort of creepy grandchild of grunge and riot grrrl (minus the political overtones) . . . feels very ghostly, almost gothic, with half-whispered vocals whipping up gentle melodies that are as beautiful as they are haunting. Then to top if off she coats the entire release in a foggy, lo-fi buzz to make it feel ever more distant." -Cactus Mouth

Est. 2010

"Your decency remains unimpaired, your virility unharmed, your person is free from any degrading submission, but in your hand is a tambourine." -Seneca

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