MELOMANE is a cinematic chamber-pop ensemble crafting lush, literate songs that blur the lines between pop, art-rock, and film score. Their sound—once dubbed “cinematic art-rock”—has drawn comparisons to Belle and Sebastian, Elvis Costello, Calexico, Wings, and Stereolab. All Music Guide described their music as “garage accessibility and boho poetry with an ingenuity that will win over intelligent listeners and show musicians just how far a band can travel.”

Formed in New York City in 1998 by singer-songwriter Pierre de Gaillande, Melomane evolved into a richly orchestrated collective featuring Daria Klotz (bass/vocals), Frank Heer (cello/synth), Quentin Jennings (keys), Kenny Savelson (drums), and Brad Stewart (trumpet). The band’s extended family of collaborators—including Eveline Feldmann, Jeremy Thal, Jody Redhage, Philippa Thompson, and Jesse Neuman—helped shape their widescreen sound.

Melomane became a staple of the New York indie scene, performing at Joe’s Pub, Mercury Lounge, Tonic, BAM Café, and Northsix, while touring extensively across Europe. They’ve played festivals and venues throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, and France, and were invited by the U.S. Embassy for a four-concert series in Russia in 2006. The band has shared stages with Wilco, Keren Ann, Luna, Arab Strap, Eleni Mandell, and more. Their songs have also appeared on TV shows such as Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and HBO’s Real Sex.

Their most recent release, Look Out!, is a disaster-themed EP recorded partly in the Pyrenees. It’s their most explosive work yet—melding their trademark wit and political bite with roaring guitars, sweeping orchestration, and bittersweet melodies. LucidCulture called it “living proof that epic grandeur can be synonymous with great fun.” The EP features a duet with Eleni Mandell on the French-language track “Je Suis Une Allumette.”

Previous albums—including Glaciers, Solresol, and Resolvo—earned praise from Rolling Stone, Magnet, The Village Voice, and Intro for their intricate arrangements and poetic lyricism. From the sardonic waltz “Hilarious” to the death-disco anthem “Kill Kill Kill,” Melomane continues to deliver music that’s as cinematic as it is subversive—songs for thinking, dancing, and dreaming at the end of the world.