Nouvelle Vague is a music collective spearheaded by French musicians Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux, who have become renowned for their unique approach to covering post-punk and new wave songs with a bossa nova twist. The project, which derives its name from the French New Wave cinema movement ("Nouvelle Vague" in French), started in the early 2000s and quickly distinguished itself with its innovative blend of styles. Their eponymous debut album released in 2004 introduced their signature concept—reinterpreting classic 80s tracks like Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and The Clash's "Guns of Brixton" with sultry, Latin-infused arrangements and a variety of female vocalists, which added a fresh and seductive dimension to the familiar sounds.
Over the years, Nouvelle Vague has gathered a rotating cast of musicians and vocalists that contribute to its evolving sound. Their discography includes a series of studio albums such as "3" released in 2009, which continued to explore the fusion of genres with covers of bands like Depeche Mode and The Go-Go's. More recent releases, such as "I Could Be Happy" in 2016, and "Curiosities" in 2019, demonstrate the band's continued experimentation with original compositions alongside their celebrated covers. By offering reinterpretations of iconic tracks, Nouvelle Vague pays homage to the enduring legacy of post-punk and new wave while simultaneously creating something entirely new and atmospheric, proving them to be both reverent historians and innovative artists in the contemporary music landscape.
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