Electropop group Minuit – French for ‘midnight’ – are set to play a number of reunion shows this winter, including dates in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland.
The three-piece burst onto the Aotearoa music scene in the early 2000s. Comprised of frontwoman and singer Ruth Carr and multi-instrumentalists and producers Paul Dodge and Ryan Beehre, the group is perhaps best known for their breakthrough album The 88 (2003) and hit single ‘Aotearoa’ (2009).
Frontwoman of electropop group Minuit, Ruth Carr Photo: Dennis Thorpe
The distinctive charisma of Carr’s voice and her unique vocal style – which Carr has previously said is inspired by Nina Simone – creates a cohesive sound, yet no song is entirely alike. The band spins synth sounds, sub bass and breakbeats into fizzing electro-soundscapes, a heady bed for Carr’s catchy vocal melodies. The infectious pulse of a drum machine drives the songs.
Minuit put out a total of seven albums from 2003-2012. On later albums, they began to experiment with incorporating more organic and acoustic instruments. The band ultimately called it quits after the release of 2012’s long player Last Night You Saw This Band.
Ruth Carr joined Maggie Tweedie on Music 101 to chat about Minuit’s reunion tour this August and their success in Aotearoa.
