Asylum Party and the Coldwave Revival

In Cold War-era France, far from the lights of the capital, a band emerged that would later become a cult phenomenon: Asylum Party. Hailing from the small banlieue of Plaisir (Yvelines), west of Paris, this French band crafted a dark and introspective sound that would cement its status as the most influential coldwave group of all time.

Image source: Discogs

Between 1985 and 1990, the band — originally formed by Philippe Planchon and Thierry Sobézyk — released a series of albums that now circulate as collector’s items: Picture One (1988), Borderline (1989), and Mère (1990), all issued under the Lively Art label. Initially a duo, Asylum Party expanded with the arrival of Pascale Macé on synthesizers for their second album. With her, they recorded Borderline and Mère, enriching their dark sonic palette with denser, more immersive electronic textures.

Image source: Discogs

The formula was flawless: melancholic guitars, atmospheric synths, shadowy basslines, and icy drum machines. Asylum Party laid the groundwork for what we now recognize as coldwave. Lyrics from tracks like Julia, Play Alone, or La Tourmente explored themes of loss, silence, and existential angst—without slipping into melodrama or excess. The band wrote songs in both English and French, with Planchon and Sobézyk alternating as lead vocalists.

Decades later, Asylum Party's legacy is being rediscovered by new generations. On YouTube, their songs garner thousands of plays on channels devoted to the dark music scene. On Discogs, their original vinyl releases go for over €200, and reissues by Deanwell Global Music sell out quickly, only to be resold at exorbitant prices. Their music is now heard in DJ sets or compilations within the dark alternative scene and continues to influence contemporary bands such as Twin Tribes, She Past Away, Lebanon Hanover, and Molchat Doma—all inheritors of the coldwave spirit that Asylum Party helped define.

Source: In Depth Music (YouTube)

At a time when vinyl has resurfaced as a symbol of cultural authenticity, bands like Asylum Party are regaining unexpected prominence despite having retired more than three decades ago. It's not just the return of coldwave, but their regional legacy, once marginal, has become canon and crossed borders.

Today, Asylum Party represents an alternative way of understanding music as timeless art. From the margins of 1980s France, this band continues to whisper in our ears as if time stood still. Once again, the ghosts of the past find their way to the surface.