PEP'S

Pep's emerged from France with a wide-ranging sound blending soul, funk, reggae, and alternative pop/rock elements. The Grenoble-born Florian Peppuy, who handles vocals and guitar, started the group in 2001 and brought in Philippe Berruyer on bass, Alexandre Combeau on drums, Guillaume Diederichs on saxophone, and Dan-Luc Bicrame on turntables, keyboard, and percussion. Their first recording, the independent six-track EP Suivre le Flo, appeared that same year. Two years later they issued the independently released full-length Au Sourire de l'Âme, which, like the earlier EP, contained "Libertà," here performed as a duet with Djazia Satour of Mig. After a period of inactivity the band returned with the 2006 six-track EP En Attendant..., mixing two fresh studio cuts with four concert recordings that featured the popular track "Libertà." In 2007 Combeau and Diederichs departed, replaced by Guillaume Marocco on drums. The group then signed with Echo Productions, the label run by Mike d'Inca of Sinsémilia, and delivered their second album, Utopies dans le Décor, in 2008. Once more the record spotlighted "Libertà," which this time broke through commercially and earned a spot on the NRJ Music Awards 2009 compilation alongside major hits of the year. Late in 2008 the album was reissued through Universal Music, prompting a re-entry on the French albums chart where it reached number 63. Following the deluxe edition, Pep's embarked on extensive touring that reinforced their long-standing reputation for dynamic live performances.