France has forged its own interpretation of oi, the chant-along street-punk style once thought to be quintessentially British. Homegrown outfits such as Syndrome 81, Prisonnier Du Temps, Oi Boys, and Rancoeur have crafted a version drenched in echo that blends the core oi with goth and post-punk textures, yielding a damp, enigmatic, and strikingly cool sound. The reach of this sound is widening, with bands like Quebec’s Béton Armé and Edmonton’s Home Front appearing to draw from similar wells.
Last year The Guardian undertook a trend piece on the French oi phenomenon, labeling these groups as “cold oi” and tracing its roots back to Métal Urbain’s choice in the mid-70s to use a drum machine instead of a human drummer. Fair assessment, perhaps. But a portion of the credit probably belongs to underground stalwarts Rixe, who resurface with the 2024 EP Tir Groupé. At least one member of Rixe also plays in Squelette, a Parisian band whose latest release sits nicely within the same aesthetic.
Squelette (French for Skeleton) have been part of the scene for a decade, their last release being the very cool 2023 album Fin de Partie. Now they return with the new EP Soir d’Orage (French for Stormy Evening), a collection of punchy yet atmospheric combat-influenced tracks that occasionally bloom into new-wave melodies. The closing track is a haunted instrumental that veers away from oi entirely, a fascinating twist. If you’re planning to stage a drunken brawl in a set of catacombs any time soon, this record should be your soundtrack. Listen below.
