La Phaze

About

When uncompromising lyrics meet the speed of urban music and the organic power of reggae-dub instrumentation, you get La Phaze. A bold, hybrid artistic blend that gave birth to Pungle – a contraction of punk-rock and jungle – at the dawn of the 2000s. After nearly 20 years and 700 wild concerts across thirty countries, the band reunited with fierce joy to release their album VISIBLE(S), the result of two years of creative development. The original duo – Damny on lyrics, and Damny and Arnaud on composition – has been joined by Speaker Louis, a sound designer and explorer of London’s underground scenes, both in the studio and on stage. It marks a return to the band’s roots, now focusing on the electronic dimension of their bass music, after a more radical punk-rock phase. Driven by powerful guitars and breakneck tempos drawn from trap and drum’n’bass, the eleven tracks are calls to collective awareness and resilience in the face of modern chaos. On “Sourire au teint de glace,” rapid-fire lyrics and fierce riffs attack the void of ultra-liberal society and filtered faces behind smartphone screens. “Comme David Buckel” pays tribute to the eponymous eco-activist, while “Tabasse” confronts domestic violence, and “Haute Sécurité” delves into the loneliness of incarceration. But no matter how clear-eyed their narratives, La Phaze never falls into cynicism or despair. Instead, they stand for joyful resistance, unrelenting energy, and the call to both fight and dance. “Avoir 20 ans,” influenced by progressive Latin rhythms, draws parallels between generational convergence and the ever-burning hopes of youth. That same intense energy is front and center on stage, where every show – whether in small-town France or across the globe – becomes a cathartic, high-voltage celebration. The album and live shows also feature longtime allies like Niko from Tagada Jones and Spanish MC Lasai, highlighting the band’s international makeup, split between France, England, and Spain. And there’s more: a brand-new album is set for release in spring 2026, paving the way for a triumphant return to the stage with a full band, just like in the band’s golden years. La Phaze is gearing up to hit the road again, more powerful and united than ever.