Bête Noire is a London-based rock band. Their single, ‘Bile’ is whacky and a great insight into their intensely lugubrious sound. The word ‘bile’ already insinuates something deliciously disgusting and grotesque. Enter the achingly sinister intro, delving into an almost Hallween-esque soundscape. A whiny, nasal voice enters, contrasting the spookiness with repetitive nursery rhyme melodic structures, chanted adamantly, swearing with dexterity. It’s not always easy to hear the words due to some distortion, but the voice effortlessly rides the groove, and lines such as “get your titties out, kiss your Mickey Mouse bile” and “be outrageous, fuck a greasy bailiff” accentuate the sinister, grotesque themes. The lead vocal show variety as he transforms from the whiny childlike taunts into an ethereal singing moan and back again, seamlessly.
The song maintains its infectious, steady groove throughout and has a repetitive structure; as a whole, it is interesting and ambitious, successfully creating a chilling, arguably uncomfortable atmosphere and is a great introduction to excitement of Bête Noire’s work.
Words by Samm Anga