EDIE SEDGWICK - Her Love Is Real… But She Is Not

Take a look at the cover. Recognize that unhinged face? Yes, it's him. The bassist of the former El Guapo (now Supersystem), one Justin Moyer, turned drag queen. He's the star of this new record from the crew. Dressed up as a woman, a bit of lipstick, an effeminate gaze, outlandish outfits (check out the booklet to believe it), a real appetite for having fun, and a name forged especially for the occasion: Edie Sedgwick. The song titles are dedicated to various actors (!?!, the story told in the booklet is seriously funny).

The record? Well, we're in the same territory as the album recently released under the Supersystem name ("Always Never Again"). The only difference is that while that project's evolution pushed toward more dance-y rhythms, this one recaptures the playful soul and fun-loving spirit that suited them best. To put it in context, this follows in the footsteps of "Fake French" (credited to El Guapo). Justin sings alone here, backed by Pete Cafarella and Rafael Cohen, and the result is an absolute blast. Delirious drum machines, synths in full convulsion, looped vocals and a whole load of assorted madness. It kicks off with a track ("Martin Sheen") built on a catchy synth line followed by a truly contagious groove, with a shape-shifting vocal that fits it perfectly. They even applaud themselves at the end. Hilarious. "Sigourney Weaver" follows the same blueprint: fluttering synth, drums locked in a clinch, and a possessed vocal.

What follows is a techno-song ("Robert Downey Jr.") that'll blow you away: a powerful drum-machine, a treated organ lurking in the background and looped vocals that make the whole thing quite disorienting, yet original at the same time. Then comes barely a minute of pure madness ("Lucy Liu"), various free-floating electro gadgets intertwining, something not heard since the days of "Super/System" (still under the El Guapo name). The result stays right at that level. Another gem: "Molly Ringwald". A bass foundation, rhythm held down by the drums, very ethereal guitar, a looped choir in the background; throw in a few more digital convulsions towards the end and assorted quirks: gorgeous. "Michael J. Fox" forges a typically El Guapo-esque sound, hilarious little choruses, noises coming out of nowhere, electronic instruments dosed with real skill, imagination to spare. Here's a typically punk-funk track, as the current trend dictates ("Arnold Schwarzenegger II"); perhaps the only one a bit too ordinary for the record. The ending is still fun, though, as always. Real techno on "Tim Robbins", with a powerful groove - just a shame it's cut short at barely a minute.

We carry on with "Harrison Ford": another track not unlike the ones described above, still marked by broken rhythms and a warped melody. We nearly forgot to mention the excellent "Tom Hanks (II)". And here's yet another track to remember. It opens strangely calm, with Justin speaking over silence, and when the musical backing kicks in, it's pure fireworks: a drum-machine this playful hasn't been heard in a while... the kind of thing you could loop for hours. Next up is a fairly standard track ("Sally Field"), perhaps the one that feels most tired. It follows the blueprint of the more inspired songs, but the melody just doesn't land. We'll forgive them.

The second-to-last track is a piece for organ (churchy in feel), with faint glitch noises in the background and an aching vocal: interesting stuff. Closing things out is "Haley Joel Osment": another shooting star that grabs you and won't let go. So what to make of this record? On the whole, it's one to remember. Taken track by track, this is a very well-crafted work, stumbling only on a couple of less inspired moments ("Sally Field", "Arnold Schwarzenegger II"). This remains the path our friend Justin's crew should keep following: having fun and making us have fun with their catchy little tunes and their imagination. Better to drop any overly dance-oriented ambitions and pick back up the road so brilliantly started with "Super/System" and "Fake French". A resounding pass.

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30/04/2026