Arman Méliès

A French singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist originally named Jan Fiévé, Arman Melies launched his solo career in 2003 after fronting the band eNola for a pair of releases. He first appeared on record in 2000 as eNola’s frontman with the four-track Figure.1 EP on Saskwash. The group followed with its full-length Figurines in 2002 on Jaff before disbanding shortly afterward. Aligning next with Bizarre K7, Melies issued his initial solo material through two EPs on that imprint, Le Long Train Lent et les Beaux Imbéciles in 2003 and San Andreas in 2004, along with Le Magasin Pittoresque, which appeared on Hinah in 2004. After delivering his debut full-length Néons Blancs & Asphaltine on Bizarre K7 in 2004, he moved to Remark for the 2006 album Les Tortures Volontaires. A major-label deal with Warner Music France followed, beginning with the 2007 reissue of Les Tortures Volontaires and the simultaneous promotion of two singles from the set, “Low Cost” and “Ivres.” Those steps led to Casino in 2008, his strongest release to date and the first to enter the French albums chart, where it reached number 149, with the title track issued as a single.