I was delighted to see the news a couple of days ago that French celtic rap act Manau are set to return with a tour next year to mark the 20th anniversary of the celtic hip hop act that became one of France's biggest sellers in the late 90s.
Formed in '98, Manau had massive hit singles with La tribue de Dana, their first release, and Mais qui est la belette?, tracks that took Breton and celtic legend and looked at them through the lens of contemporary street culture.
The band's debut album Panique Celtique merged rap with celtic sounds from Brittany and picked up a best rap album award at the 1999 Victoire de la musique ceremony and sold over a million copies along the way. It remains a great listen, intelligent and witty, smart and original, an intoxicating potion brewed bu by bards with beats
Initially a trio, after their debut they became a duo of Martial Tricoche and Cédric Soubiron after RV Lardic quit.
Cédric Soubiron has had a tough time with health problems and debts over the years, leading to his eventual leaving the band. Recently he's begun working as a stage actor in Paris while remaining on good terms with Tricoche, who remained the last member of the band's central trio still at the mic under the Manau name.
So 2018 sees a return of sorts, although Manau never actually went away. However, some addditional promotion for the band is no bad thing,
Maybe there will be some new material too. Personally I can't wait to hear Le nouveau son de Manau!
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