Lo Cor de la Plana

• Genre: Europe
• Hometown: Marseilles

About

The world has been shrinking, metaphorically speaking, for centuries. But recently, groups have been fighting against the encroaching cultural uniformity, vigorously defending local traditions and languages. Lo Cor de la Plana is the latest French group to forge a new, local path. Following on Massilia Sound System's heels, the group reclaims Marseilles' traditional dialect and champions traditional Occitan music. Singing both sacred and secular (as well as pagan) music, the group's polyphonic vocal assault (six singers) is playful and surprisingly contemporary. Though they use some instruments, many tracks rely solely on percussion such as bendir and tamburello as well as foot stomps and hand-claps.

- Sarah Bardeen