‘Human Cycle’ by Missing Jack & The Kameleons | Album Premiere | Interview

Exclusive album premiere of ‘Human Cycle’ by Missing Jack & The Kameleons, out March 17th, 2023 via Six Tonnes De Chair Records.

---

Missing Jack & The Kameleons is a psychedelic rock band formed in 2016 in Toulouse, France. Nourished by 60s and 70s sounds and influenced by the current psych scene, the group offers a universe with multiple sounds; mixing the sharp riffs of a muscular garage rock with the flights of a vaporous progressive rock, bathed in reverb, delay and overdrive.

‘Human Cycle,’ their first album, is a celebration of the cycle of life, a six-act introspection on emancipation, self-discovery and acceptance of life. An inevitable end.

“The main idea was to play the album as much as possible live”

How much work went into this album?

It all started in 2018, the group had only recently existed and three of us (we are now) lived in Toulouse, in former maids’ rooms. We squatted in Nico’s room and transformed it into a music studio. It was good to be able to get together quite often and play without time or money constraints; it helped us grow the chemistry that brought us together quite quickly and that’s when the idea of making an album was born.

Since then, we have been working on our musical and graphic universe, from music to lyrics, from visuals to vinyl; helped by brilliant artists and friends.

The production of the album took us more or less four years, between passion, perfectionism and global pandemic.

Where was the album recorded and who produced it?

We recorded at the Studio du Cerisier in Toulouse, helped by the brilliant sound engineer Sébastien Haby. We thought about different ways to finance the album, we like to do things on our own so we decided to be our own producers. That said, we couldn’t have dreamed of releasing it on vinyl if we hadn’t found the love and confidence in our music of our dear Laurent, boss of the Savoyard label Six Tonnes de Chair, who took care of all the vinyl making.

What are we hearing on the record?

The main idea was to play the album as much as possible live. It took a lot of preparation and a hot summer weekend to record the beginnings of what ‘Human Cycle’ was going to be.

All the songs were instrumentally recorded live in the studio, then we took the time to record all the voices and arrangements quietly at home.

Everything is mixed by Sébastien Haby and mastered by Russ Hepworth-Sawyer, from MOTTOsound in the U.K.

“Like our music, this album is a hymn to emancipation, freedom and experimentation”

Is there a certain idea or concept you were trying to make with the album?

Like our music, this album is a hymn to emancipation, freedom and experimentation. We started by composing all the songs instrumentally, playing with genres, trying out different structures and progressions. It was quite fun and it gives the whole thing a cinematographic, almost dramatic touch, like a rock opera in a way.

Between introspection and celebration, we share with this album our experiences, our joys and doubts as human beings, a certain vision of the cycle of life and death.

What are some future plans?

We have a few gigs to come and may be thinking of a small tour at the end of 2023, playing our music on stage remains the most stimulating thing for us. We also made our first music video this summer in collaboration with the most dedicated and talented team of young filmmakers; the result is incredible and will be available on March 23 on our YouTube channel, don’t miss this madness.

Thank you, the last word is yours.

Releasing a rock album on vinyl was a dream for us and we couldn’t be happier to have achieved it with such passionate people. We can now share it to the world, it’s a good and very special feeling.

We would like to thank Sebastien Haby and Russ Hepworth-Sawyer for making our music sound like we imagined it. Anouk Fanovard and Antoine Thieule who made all the stunning visuals of the album, we couldn’t have dreamed for better. Jan, Tristan, Jeanne and the entire film crew; full of talented and dedicated people. Finally, huge huge thanks to Laurent Matthew Perret, owner of the Savoyard label Six Tonnes de Chair for the trust he placed in us and our album, for his vision and his way of doing things in the music world.

Klemen Breznikar

---

Missing Jack & The Kameleons Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
Six Tonnes De Chair Records Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp / YouTube