About

Pic. Arnau Pascual Ledesma

Discography

Cream Parade (LP/CD) Igloo Records (2019)

Kermesse Machine (LP/CD) Igloo Records (2017)

And if we were all rich (Single Digital) Igloo Circle (2020)

Cream Parade Remixes (12” maxi) Le pacifique Records/Igloo (2020)

Coltan Major Harmonics (7”) Igloo Circle (2019)

Tchouang Tseu (7”) New Pangea (2015)

“Manu Louis is a Belgian with a subversive spring in his step” BBC

“The Braggart of Kitsch” Libération

“More colourfull than a unicorn vomiting a rainbow” Gonzai

“Pop fantastique et Fantasque” France Culture

“The Stromae of the Underground” Le Soir

“Der Iannis Xenakis des Dancefloor” Skug

It’s hard to find a profile like Manu Louis in music….

Belgium born, now Berlin based, he studied composition with legendary composer Fréderic Rzewski, electronic music on the internet, and dancing during his concerts.

A Passionate singer, and knob agitator, he also plays the guitar in his own unique punk jazz way…

Equally at home working with electronic dance, classical or jazz musicians, Manu has performed his stuff from completely acoustic solo up to 200 wind players and everything in between.

In his music (fortunately, as is the case today for many young musicians) style doesn’t exist. He mixes things that cross his path, and creates new adventures of provocative and decontextualized juxtapositions. His general blueprint remains the same throughout, but the ingredients he uses vary; from dissident chanson française, genial dilettante, avant-garde composers, new beat, old hits, art-pop & hard bop.

Under his name, Manu has released three LP’s and several 7’’ on Igloo Records, Le Pacifique records and New Pangea. Recent years saw him perform his electronic solo shows more than 500 times in Europe and Asia (including: Bimhuis [Amsterdam], Fusion Festival [Lärz], Tremor Fest [Acores], La Casa Encendida [Madrid], PopKultur [Berlin], Tsutavo o Nest [Tokyo], DDC [Beijing] and Contrapop [Ramsgate]). Travelling with a village of electronic instruments, and video projections from pop stars to animals, he delivers passionate performances that switch gear into impromptu discotheque.

Recently, Manu has collaborated with Front de Cadeaux, Héctor Arnau, Ilan Manouach, Systaime, Escif, Dawanggang and Carl Roossens.

With Sylvain Chauveau, he co-founded Zero Carbon Records (an impossible label converted into ‘no oil/no electricity’ tours). With Mary Ocher, he has co-curated the Underground Institute Festival (Berlin). And with Adrien Lambinet, he co-directed ‘Music for Trees’, a tribute to Garrett List.

Manu also gives workshops, lectures, makes DJ sets, and has done mixes for Kiosk Radio, Hotel Radio Paris, Gonzai, Noods, Jolt Radio and Reboot FM.