fresh band Cactus Polychromes releases their first song
I met Cactus Polychromes after their show at Supersonic earlier this year. My first reaction? Pure surprise. I was blown away by the ease and chemistry of this band, despite the fact that they’re just starting out. In the venue’s backstage area, Orphée, Lucas, and Apollinaire told me about their first single, their influences, and their relationship with performing.
You only appeared on social media last March. How did the Cactus Polychromes project begin?
Orphée: Lucas and I met ten years ago. After I finished my studies two years ago, we really felt the urge to bring back the band we had in high school, but for real this time. We picked up our guitars again, started writing songs, dug out our old notebooks. Then we looked for motivated people to join us, and that’s how we met Apollinaire on drums, and Roméo on bass.
And the name, “Cactus Polychromes” - where does it come from?
Orphée - Originally, it was the title of an exhibition my father put on, featuring photographic paintings of polychrome cacti. It all came from a photo report he did in Mexico in the 70s. So at home we have tons of polychrome cactus images : blue ones, red ones, purple ones…
Lucas - We think the name is super catchy. At the beginning we had all these western inspirations… we really liked the “cactus vibe”!
During your Supersonic set, I thought you sounded a bit like The Strokes. Who are your influences?
Lucas - Yeah, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys… I’ve tried so many times to draw as much inspiration from them as possible while adding a bit of myself. Those are albums I absolutely rinsed for years…
Orphée - … Especially the last Strokes album during Covid, The New Abnormal. And when Lucas and I first met, I really connected with The Last Shadow Puppets - and still do. We also love Tame Impala for their psychedelic side, and Fontaines D.C.…
Apollinaire - I started out in a punk band, and I didn’t like it. I play jazz; I’ve had about ten years of jazz conservatory training. As a drummer, I try to mix the violence of rock with the subtlety of jazz. I think rock needs some nuance; it’s when you know exactly what you’re doing that you can let go and improvise.
“We’re basically mourning the idea of endlessly improving or changing things. Apollinaire and Roméo’s arrival was really important in our creative process.”
You’ve now released your first single, “Skull”…
Lucas - Yes! It’s kind of the first time we all worked together on a project like this and actually saw it through. We gave ourselves the freedom to record it DIY-style, with a friend who’s a sound engineer.
Orphée - We’re trying more and more to commit to things. For Lucas and me, it’s a way of letting go and saying, “This is our choice, and it’s final.” We’re basically mourning the idea of endlessly improving or changing things. And Apollinaire and Roméo’s arrival was really important in our creative process: sometimes there’s shouting, sometimes tears, and in the end we’re all happy with what we’ve made!
Lucas - They came at the right time! Maybe we never would have released anything just the two of us - we’ve had so many songs spinning in our heads for ten years.
Apollinaire - I love what they do, and I keep telling them - they’re exactly my thing. I helped them say goodbye to that track, to their baby: at some point you have to cut the cord! They’re total overprotective parents with their songs! (laughs)
So for you, what makes a good song?
Lucas - There’s no recipe. It depends on who’s listening - one person might connect with it, and someone else not at all.
Orphée - We have to like it first and foremost.
Apollinaire - If they come in with a guitar riff and we all like it, and we manage to turn it into some sort of visceral chemical formula, then it works. We don’t limit ourselves to any genre, so if we want to add an instrument that has nothing to do with the rest, we’ll do it, because it resonates with us.
What does a studio session with the Cactus Polychromes look like?
Lucas - I show up late!
Orphée - First, there’s a lot of laughter, I think. And then of course we have to get to work!
Apollinaire - It allowed us to spend huge days together and really get to know each other.
Orphée - Exactly. We talk a lot about our influences on the way to the studio, which helps us know what we want to do as soon as we get there.
Lucas - Now that we’ve started playing a few gigs, we go less often. It’s been a while since we’ve done the exercise of pure creation. It’s starting to feel like something’s missing.
“If they come in with a guitar riff and we all like it, and we manage to turn it into some sort of visceral chemical formula, then it works. We don’t limit ourselves to any genre.”
Let’s talk about your relationship with performing. How do you approach being on stage? Does it still intimidate you, or do you feel like you can fully express yourselves now?
Lucas - I think we can do anything up there. It’s the stage that allows us to tap into that madness each of us carries. As we play more shows, I see everyone tuning into themselves to find something visceral that responds to our music.
Orphée - Playing our own songs stresses me out way less than back when I used to do covers. We know we’re in it together, and we believe in what we’re doing.
Apollinaire - We know there’s nothing harmful around us, so we can afford to give our best. We’re four different people, but at some point we merge into one: on stage, through sound.
Lucas - Being on stage made me aware of a certain responsibility toward the audience. But it’s not a scary responsibility - if anything, we just want to honor it.
Any advice for emerging artists?
Lucas - Just let go! It’s like a breath of fresh air in a world where you don’t always feel like you fit in everywhere.
Orphée - Have fun, and stay true to your values.