BHOPAL'S FLOWERS - Poivre Rose

Bhopal's Flowers have opted for self-production on their new album, titled “Poivre Rose“.
The Canadian band's calling remains unchanged over time: a psychedelic pop steeped in naïf mysticism. The record is a rich sonic mosaic weaving together Indian and Persian influences, melodies from the 60s and evocative echoes of Italian western soundtracks and old TV spy stories.

The true protagonists of the sonic scene are the ringing twelve-string guitars, the sound of the sitar and the velvety, melodic carpet of keyboards; all in service of swaying melodies rich in suggestion, an atmosphere made even more ethereal by the hypnotic embroidery that emerges when male and female voices intertwine in song.
Like the pink pepper evoked by the title, the songs too are sweet and aromatic, delicate and exotic in just the right measure. Titles like “Mango Moon”, “Saffron Vision” and “Vanilla Dream” suit the Canadian group's simple, elusive ballads well.
The Indian sitar and the Persian tar are the undisputed stars of the album: the exotic touch of the two instruments caresses the George Harrison-esque cadences of “Transcendental Hotel” with delicate folk-psych textures, reins in the soul nuances of “Miroir Miroir” by dressing them in sounds fit for a James Bond soundtrack, and holds together the rich fabric of the title track, blending Morricone, Happy Mondays and Serge Gainsbourg into just four minutes and twenty-two seconds.

Bhopal's Flowers deal in a straightforward psychedelic folk-pop, akin both to certain pages of the Beatles' “Indian hangover” (“Morning Sun”) and to the jangle-pop whirl of Kula Shaker (“Saffron Vision”), a band the Canadian outfit has often toured with as support act, not to mention that Lionel Pezzano played on the English band's recent single “Good Money”.
“Kaleidoscope” claims the crown as the sturdiest song of the bunch, a track that's musically fluid and shimmering, melodically airy and crystalline, made even more sensuous by a sample of Jane Birkin's voice.

“Poivre Rose” is a record that can be called delightful without reservation, a handcrafted work that blends pop lightness with erudite, transcontinental sonic exploration, regenerating 60s psychedelia into a unique sensory journey. An inspired return that confirms the band's ability to turn naïf mysticism into pure pop substance.

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06/08/2026