Noblesse Oblige - In Exile (2008)

‘Back in 2004 German songwriter/producer Sebastian Lee Philipp and French actress cum chanteuse/songwriter Valerie Renay met at a masked ball in that classic Victorian haunt, Hoxton Hall. Heady times ensued. Before they could say ‘don’t touch me there’, they were touring and performing with the likes of the Dresden Dolls, Vive La Fete and Patti Smith among others from the ‘dark’ jet set.

All the while they ran their regular live music and DJ night Caligula with the mysterious DJ Silencio (where is he now?) at various east-side locations including the Old Blue Last (when it was good) and some other dive that was a converted toilet. This was a time when the Shoreditch Twat was a comic and not real people, cunts. These guys were (and remain) quality deft electro-punks – witty, musically out there, and full-throttle performers.

In 2006 they released their debut album ‘Privilege Entails Responsibility’ (the English translation of the classy band name) on Horseglue Records (Pink Grease, Selfish Cunt). The wild combo of disco punk, sixties French chanson and raw acoustic folklore mashed with lyrical wit and dark humour really rocked my boat. I mean, hello?

Then what happened? 2007 - they fucked off to where all the arty boho’s went, Berlin (like Bowie, then the Liars) – to produce that difficult second album. And here we are, witnessing the makings of a cult phenomena… the music is here, and it’s sunny!’~ Silencio