The sounds of Capetown artist Yannick Ilunga, aka Petite Noir, are a cacophony of influences ranging from 80’s new wave to Kanye West to African beats that evoke his homeland. Second single Best from upcoming album La Vie Est Belle encapsulates all of this and jumps from the screen in a kaleidoscope of tribal dance and spectacular costumes with the accompanying video.
Close your eyes and you could be forgiven for thinking that you are listening to a lost cut of Joy Division, laid over a rhythmic track by way of West Africa. Open them and you are instantly captivated by the striking clash of old world meets new, with traditional dance and dress cutting to Noir’s Miguel-esque oiled and writhing body.
Ilunga previously played in a South African band called Popskarr, alongside Spoek Mathambo, which had a distinctly electro pop sound. In a striking show of confidence the artist has self titled the genre of his new project as ”noir-wave” and is certainly delivering on a sound that is unmistakably his own.
With debut EP King of Anxiety released in January this year, Ilunga is wasting no time when it comes to a follow up. La Vie Est Belle is due out on September 11th through Domino.