Music: Dionysus, a princely birthday

Already three decades for the most dynamic group on the French scene, Dionysos. Born in Valencia in the midst of the grunge wave, the small independent group has established itself at the forefront, through a rich and abundant discography. Above all, Dionysos left its mark with concerts of unparalleled intensity, under the leadership of its leader, Mathias Malzieu, a veritable zebulon mounted on springs. A man with a boundless imagination, who successfully combines a dual career: leading figure of the group, but also a successful author. Thanks to the release of this anniversary album, the man published, in the Livre de Poche, the complete of his literary work (novels, poetry) but also around ten unpublished texts.

On the disc, Dionysos celebrates his thirtieth birthday with a host of guests, who help him revisit the most significant pages of his repertoire, from Matthieu Chedid to Keren Ann, including Clou, Mademoiselle K and Arthur Teboul (Feu! Chatterton). We are struck by the production of the album. Unlike some of the group's previous records, this one fully recreates the stage intensity of Dionysus. A frankly rock option, with guitars that sound wonderful, proving the contribution of each member of the group. We also salute the feat of having lasted without ever compromising a vision, that of Mathias Malzieu, born at the end of his adolescence, with a singularity never found wanting.

Dionysos, "L'extraordinarium", 2 LP or 1 Cd (Tôt ou Tard)

After releasing generous box sets of the albums 1999 and Sign'of the Times, Warner, a historic record company, devotes a high-end treatment to the album Diamonds and Pearls, published by the deceased in 1991. Prince, accustomed to reinventing himself permanently, was then at a crossroads. Since the phenomenal success of Purple Rain in 1984, he had become an international star, accompanied by The Revolution. This group allowed him to seduce the more pop section of the public, who quickly pitted him in a duel as absurd as the one between the Beatles and the Stones and Michael Jackson. What followed was a sequence of breathtaking albums, marking the musician's golden age: Around the World, in a Day, Parade, then the indisputable masterpiece, Sign of the Times, in 1987.

Four years later and after several average records, Prince had recruited a new formation, The New Power Generation, with the objective of reconquering the African-American public. Diamonds and Pearls reconnects with Prince's most funk and soul inspiration, even flirting with hip-hop. Carried by two exceptional singles – “Cream” and “Get Off” – the album is a great vintage. It is here augmented by no less than seven hours of unreleased music: remixes, forgotten versions, unknown tracks, as well as two concerts! A deep dive for a record that wasn't that deep originally. Some pieces would have deserved to remain unpublished, but we are not going to shy away from the pleasure of exploring the twists and turns of the psyche of one of the most prolific musicians in pop.

Prince, “Diamonds and Pearls”, Super Deluxe EditionAvailable in 7 CD and 1 Blu-Ray or 12 LP and 1 Blu-Ray edition (Warner)