Liège duo Chaton Laveur returns with a masterclass in tension. Channeling the “motorik” drive of 70s Krautrock, ‘Contre-La-Montre’ is a hypnotic race against the clock.

There is a specific kind of anxiety that comes with watching the second hand sweep around a clock face, but rarely does it sound this seductive. Eschewing the bloated excesses of modern production, the band retreats to the stark, architectural beauty of the 1970s German experimental scene. The track is built on a foundation of “motorik” bass, driving rhythm pioneered by Can and Neu! locked into mechanical percussion that feels more programmed by human hands.

Recorded at Paris’s Studio Claudio under the guidance of Vincent Hivert (En Attendant Ana), the production captures a room sound that is dry and very tight. But where their Krautrock forefathers might have drifted into endless jamming, Chaton Laveur injects a modern contemporary sensibility.

This is the first taste of their sophomore effort, Labyrinthe, slated for release in March 2026 via EXAG’ Records. If ‘Contre-La-Montre’ is the map, we are more than willing to get lost in the maze.

Headline photo: Chaton Laveur (Credit: Julien Trousson)

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