Migjorn by Docks
Many thanks Abréactions productions, Araki Records, Coeur sur toi, Indie or Die, Hidden Bay Records, Ligature & Tout Doux Records.
Docks is Manon Raupp & Daniel Selig:
guitars, bass, drum machines, synths, unfrequent vocals
Written and performed by Docks
Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Xavier Nadal at Binary Emotions Studio
in Parets del Vallès (Barcelona) between February and October 2025
Nil Nadal: maracas on ‘Ricochets’
Marilés & Fer: screaming on ‘Compass’
Graphic design by Manon Raupp
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Docks is a Toulouse-based duo comprised of Daniel Selig and Manon Raupp. Formed in 2017, they have released a steady stream of EPs, splits and singles (notably through Hidden Bay Records, Araki Records & Discos de Kirlian) while refining their dreamy, instrumental pop that combines melancholic passages drawing on slowcore and outbursts of shoegaze.
Their first album Migjorn builds on all these foundations, the longer running-time permitting Manon & Daniel to truly lean into every angle of their musical drives, resulting in a rich and varied experience. The guitars remain central, but they are supported by accents of electronica and ambient tones.
The album was conceived between the south of France and Catalonia, and as the vegetation and landscapes subtly change from one to the other, so the flow of tracks switches between different moods. Migjorn sees the duo joining up again with Xavier Nadal of Binary Emotions, who helped them produce their first recording (and many since). Whether together or apart, they have remained close and developed their respective crafts, making every collaboration a reunion. This first full-length marks a celebration of their lasting friendship on one hand, and on the other stands as a memorial to the loved ones they respectively lost this past year.
It can be difficult to ascribe thematic intents to instrumental music, but a look at the titles offers some clues to possible interpretations. Some are more figurative, for example Strike, which pays tribute to the many social movements in France and abroad these past years, or Ricochets that references the intertwining melodies that bounce off each other around a playful, syncopated bass motif. Others are more abstract, such as Losange (a reassuring shape, four sides of a whole) or Substrato, whose sprawling central melody could be heard as a metaphor for collective efforts building towards something more durable.
Side B begins with a triptych of heavier songs: Mallacoota (a seaside town in Australia whose beauty is counter-balanced by the tree trunks blackened from the apocalyptic wildfires of 2019) and 393 both culminate in soaring, delay-drenched melodies riding the waves of distorted riffs, while Compass contains the first ever lyrics ventured by Docks so far: “We have the means, leave them the end” is an affirmation of the autonomous, anti-authoritarian leanings which have anchored the band since the beginning. For the occasion they invited the two good friends to scream over the guitars. The closer, Mimosa, marks a return to lighter, softer moods, concluding the album on a hopeful note.
With a stylistic freedom that recalls acts like The Durutti Column, along with inspirations spanning from the electronic pop of Fever Ray to the 90’s emo revival of Strictly Ballroom or Pennines, Docks has always been somewhat apart in the French rock landscape, taking their time and keeping their social media presence sparse, to say the least. Although their music isn’t usually aggressive, their attachment to DIY ideals and practices means the band has developed in close proximity with the punk and hardcore scenes. Their longevity and grassroots ethics have helped them make many friends along the road, and the album has found several labels who have been generous enough to help with the release.
Tracklist
| 1. | Strike | |
| 2. | Losange | |
| 3. | Auvent | |
| 4. | Substrato | |
| 5. | Ricochets | |
| 6. | Mallacoota | |
| 7. | 393 | |
| 8. | Compass | 3:21 |
| 9. | Mimosa | |
