John and Jehn are a French duo who moved from their hometowns to London at the back end of 2006. It is impossible to talk about them without mentioning that they are a couple and very much in love. It’s this dynamic that is fundamental to their self-titled debut album, John and Jehn: from the evident passion in the songwriting, performance and delivery, through to the physical presentation of the album being split into two halves – ‘Side John’ and ‘Side Jehn’.Influenced by Serge Gainsbourg, The Velvet Underground, Gang of Four, Joy Division, and Johnny Cash, John and Jehn’s music is a collection of sonic experiments, carried by dark humour on razor-sharp pop melodies. The subtle dynamics in their songwriting and the balance between chaos and beauty: the understanding of light and shade ensures the band’s first LP stands out from the crowd; the mastery of heartbreaking melodies juxtaposed with drones and white noise, the sense of space in the mix. Album opener ‘DOM’ is a beautifully skewed hymn that slowly builds around duel vocals, staccato keys and xylophone to create an uneasy calm. The sense of calm is quickly banished by the drone-heavy ‘Fear, fear, fear’ and the frantic Beatles-meets- Gainsbourg pop of future single ‘20L07’. As a live duo, they make the perfect onstage mix - John is all brooding, chiseled cheek bones, Elvis moves and cold blooded stares, whilst Jehn is his polar opposite and perfect foil: a beguiling mix of clumsy energy and incredible beauty.
Live, John and Jehn are equal parts charm and menace: As demonstrated by their recent tour support of British Sea Power, the intense and intoxicating live show they have honed over the last year takes on an even grander and imperious form, the bigger the stage the band play on.
John and Jehn