Angine de Poitrine wears big masks, speaks an alien language and performs wildly difficult math rock. Supervisor Sebastien Collin talks in regards to the rise of the enigmatic musical group.
Transcript
JOEL ROSE, HOST:
Angine de Poitrine is French for the form of chest ache that generally precedes a coronary heart assault. It’s also the title of a microtonal math rock duo from Quebec.
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE’S “FABIENK”)
ROSE: The band rocketed to fame this 12 months after a video of their high-intensity stay efficiency for Seattle’s KEXP went extraordinarily viral.
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE SONG, “FABIENK”)
ROSE: The band consists of simply two musicians who construct advanced musical constructions with a loop pedal, they usually do that whereas sporting full-body, polka dot fits and big paper-mache masks. The members of Angine de Poitrine carry out anonymously. They declare to be 333-year-old area vacationers in interviews like this one, from the Canadian TV present “Tout Le Monde En Parle,” the place they answered questions in an alien language.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, “TOUT LE MONDE EN PARLE”)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Inaudible).
(LAUGHTER)
ROSE: Angine de Poitrine is about to launch their first U.S. tour this week in New York Metropolis. That present and most others on the tour are already bought out, a powerful feat for a band from any planet. Their supervisor, Sebastien Collin, serves as a translator to take care of their privateness, and he has come right here right this moment to talk for them. Welcome to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE SONG, “FABIENK”)
ANGINE DE POITRINE: (Vocalizing).
SEBASTIEN COLLIN: Yeah. Thanks for inviting us.
ROSE: The costumes actually are a tremendous hook. Are you able to describe kind of how they give the impression of being onstage? Are you able to paint us an image?
COLLIN: If you have not seen, (laughter), think about two individuals with polka dots and big masks, and the guitarist have a double-neck guitar, the nostril of the drummer simply flopping whereas he is enjoying [laughter] .
ROSE: There’s one thing about these noses that basically does promote it. I do not know what it’s, however it’s – sure, the noses are compelling.
COLLIN: You have a tendency to evaluate individuals by their nostril.
ROSE: I wish to ask you in regards to the devices that they play, particularly that double-necked guitar that has each a guitar and a bass. And each of these necks have greater than the common variety of frets in order that they will play what are referred to as microtones. Let’s take heed to an instance of how that sounds on the track “Sherpa.”
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE SONG, “SHERPA”)
ROSE: How did the band provide you with that, and why?
COLLIN: (Laughter) What I feel occurred is that these two musician have been enjoying collectively for thus lengthy, simply two of them enjoying collectively. And so they simply wish to push their music to have extra complexity and more room to make new issues.
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE SONG, “SHERPA”)
COLLIN: Having the bass guitar and the double neck give extra loudness to a two-piece band and the microtonal provides a lot alternative. Simply think about having double the notes that you could make. So I feel it is a approach to make one thing extra progressive, extra inventive.
ROSE: What’s an instance of when that basically works? Like, is there one specific track that exhibits how that sounds?
COLLIN: I feel that the track “Sarniezz” is the perfect instance. The primary riff – I do not know if I will sing it properly however (vocalizing).
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SARNIEZZ”)
ANGINE DE POITRINE: (Singing) Yo.
COLLIN: It is the proper instance. It is like (laughter) if these musician wish to be taught microtonal to a brand new planet, I feel I’d do, like, a chromatic method like that (laughter) so individuals can simply hear so properly the notes that you just should not hear when it is not microtonal. It is just like the chapter certainly one of methods to be taught microtonal having a chromatic method – (vocalizing).
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE SONG, “SARNIEZZ”)
ROSE: You understand, they play with unimaginable precision collectively, like, the form of chemistry that takes a very long time to develop. How lengthy have they been enjoying collectively?
COLLIN: These two musicians play collectively since they’re teenager.
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE’S “ABABA HOTEL”)
COLLIN: All their life, they have been all the time jamming collectively – in the beginning within the basement of one of many (laughter) mom. Sure. In order that vibe is only a lifetime friendship and musician friendship.
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE’S “ABABA HOTEL”)
ROSE: Have you ever identified them since earlier than they have been Angine de Poitrine?
COLLIN: Sure. I do know them earlier than they have been energetic musician within the scene, and I do know very properly the scene within the Quebec province.
ROSE: Are you certainly one of them?
COLLIN: No (laughter). I am not certainly one of them (laughter).
ROSE: You are certain?
COLLIN: Yeah. I am fairly certain (laughter). You’ll be able to see there’s some image of me with the 2 musicians. I can not be them.
ROSE: Effectively, there are two individuals in these costumes. I do not know who they’re.
COLLIN: (Laughter).
ROSE: Why do you suppose that they’ve develop into such a viral phenomenon not simply within the U.S. however around the globe? Like, what’s it about this that has made them such a phenomenon?
COLLIN: Persons are happy with that taking place. I feel that individuals need one thing bizarre changing into widespread. They suppose that the bizarre music deserve it (laughter), they usually have been chosen for this.
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE SONG, “MATA ZYKLEK”)
ROSE: I imply, I like that an instrumental math rock duo in paper-mache costumes went viral. And I suppose I am rooting for it, too, however I simply did not know there have been that many different individuals who felt that method (laughter), I suppose, is what’s somewhat shocking.
COLLIN: Yeah (laughter). Yeah. It is loopy to have so many individuals speaking of the band and coming to the exhibits. And, like, it is like an enormous neighborhood of those who we do not know however are with them (laughter).
ROSE: We have been speaking to Sebastien Collin. He’s the supervisor of Angine de Poitrine. Thanks very a lot on your time, Sebastien.
COLLIN: Yeah. It was a pleasure. Thanks.
(SOUNDBITE OF ANGINE DE POITRINE SONG, “MATA ZYKLEK”)
Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional data.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts might differ. Transcript textual content could also be revised to appropriate errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its unique broadcast or publication. The authoritative file of NPR’s programming is the audio file.



