Magical musical musings care of the marvellous John Matthews.

Fantastic Twins is the avant-garde, electronic project of French artist, Julienne Dessagne. For over a decade her music has graced labels such as Hippie Dance, Optimo and House of Slessor. In 2024, Dessange covered Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”, for a live performance at the Beta Biennale Of Architecture Of Timișoara. Subsequently receiving a limited digital / Bandcamp release, her “Trinity Version” completely re-contextualised the song, which had shot Isaak to worldwide stardom when included in David Lynch’s 1990 movie “Wild at Heart”. Further referencing Lynch, Dessange’s radical reshape was inspired by the director’s reimagining of the 1945 Trinity nuclear test that appeared “Episode 8” of his surreal TV series “Twin Peaks Season 3”. Dessange has explained that the test, for her, seemed symbolic of another wicked game; “Humanity’s love affair with science and technology: Driven by the same mix of desire, fascination and doomed inevitability that animates Chris Isaak’s original song.” Now re-recorded, alongside 3 new interpretations, the track is poised for a vinyl pressing via Emotional Response: one member of Stuart “Chuggy” Leath’s remarkably consistent family of “Emotional” imprints. 

When an intro stops you in your tracks and the vocals make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end, you know you’re listening to a special piece of music. The “Trinity Version” of “Wicked Game” had that exact effect on me when I first heard it. The familiarity of the song, the echoing vocals, the deep sub bass and the beautiful, beatless, ambient backing all came together to produce a haunting, apocalyptic vibe. I can’t help but wonder how amazing it would sound if played somewhere towards the end of the evening, for example, in the surroundings of a medieval castle at a certain festival in the south of France. 

Dessange’s “Atomic Love” rework stays beatless and ambient, but is way more dubbed out. The music floating around my head, then building, before the song reveals itself and begins to tug at the heart strings. Her “Core Version” is basically an acappella that purposely loses its original melody, replacing it with echoing, choir-like textures that sweep through the mix. The “A Thousand Sun” shot, however, opens with ominous low oscillations, in advance of a harsh industrial beat, reminiscent of prime time Nitzer Ebb, kicking in. Helium-pitched vocals, chopped into unintelligible twists, following. 

Remixes from French sound designer, Aho Sann, and Optimo Espacio’s Jonnie Wilkes complete the package. The former takes the “Core Version” and introduces radio static, metallic scraping noises and electronic squiggles with snippets of Dessange fluttering in background. Now totally unrecognisable from Isaak’s original, Sann creates a independent stand alone piece of music that climbs to a loud and haunting crescendo. Completely brilliant and utterly immersive, only in closing does it return to the off kilter vocal. Wilkes then takes the reigns for a stomping electro remix of “A Thousand Suns”. With echoing handclaps and treated voices, it focuses on the song’s central 3 chord melody and turns the track into an emotional dance floor monster. Another potential anthem that I can’t wait to hear out on a big system. 

It’s rare to be so instantly captivated by a piece of music and then completely spellbound by its various reinterpretations. “Wicked Game (Trinity Versions)” delivers on both fronts, making it an indispensable addition to any collection.

Fantastic Twins’ “Wicked Game (Trinity Versions)” can be ordered directly from Emotional Response.

Rob’s Notes:

I thought there were actually a couple more nods to David Lynch on this release: 

The ethereal “Trinity Version” seems to take its cues from The Cocteau Twins, and especially their part in This Mortal Coil’s cover of Tim Buckley and Larry Beckett’s “Song To The Siren”. Said track was famously one of Lynch’s favourites. In 1990, he’d  asked The Cocteaus to perform the piece in his film “Blue Velvet”. The deal falling through led to him working, instead, with Julee Cruise. Lynch ended up licensing the This Mortal Coil tune for 1997’s “Lost Highway”. 

Also the treated vocals of the “Core Version”, I felt, tipped their hat toward Lynch’s sinister, slithering “Red Room” speak.