POLYPHONIC SIZE

Synth pop group of the eighties.

Founded in the early eighties by Roger Marc VandeVoorde, with a rapidly changing cast of other members, amongst who Luc Van Acker (on the debut LP) and Kloot PerW (on stage and on the second album). As this last one later recollected on the band : "We weren't very well known in Flanders, but in Wallonia, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria we enjoyed quite a bit of success. It lasted for a couple of years and you still can find evidence of that on compilation CD's like the "Club Classics" by Antler". They never managed to seduce the English-speaking audiences, although their producers came from that background : "Walking Everywhere" was produced by Jean-Jacques Burnel of the Stranglers, "The Overnight Day" was produced by Nigel Gray, who had also worked with the Police and Siouxsie and the Banshees before.

A reasonable description of the group can be found on sonicnet :

"Polyphonic Size is Belgian; their first album was produced by Strangler Jean-Jacques Burnel, who also contributed bass and vocals. ... Sung primarily in French by a man and a woman backed by simple (not rudimentary--carefully constructed and subtle) electronics, this resembles Orchestral Manoeuvres' lighter work. ...
A low-key approach --gentle, almost tender singing and languid tempos-- makes Live for Each Moment as relaxing as a hot bath, but without the ennui, thanks to a resolute commitment to pop song structures. A very pretty record.
The Mother's Little Helper 12-inch singles assemblage has five tracks, including a humorous electronic reinterpretation (not unlike the Flying Lizards) of the Rolling Stones classic after which it is named.
A new four-piece lineup, working with producer Nigel Gray (Police, Siouxsie and the Banshees) on Walking Everywhere and The Overnight Day, has kept Polyphonic Size moving into mild, commercialized pop fare--a less quirky Plastic Bertrand or perhaps a Flemish answer to Nena (sic!). The whispery male and female vocals (in French and lightly accented English) and the understated music keep the records unfailingly pleasant, but a shade too skimpy on character to make Polyphonic Size a bigger international commercial property."

Band members (1981-1985) :
- Roger Marc Vandevoorde : Guitar, Keyboards, vocals
- Martine Bourlée : Bass, Keyboards, vocals
- Ann Vandewalle : Keyboards, vocals
- Kloot per W : Bass guitar, keyboards, decor, vocals
- bijkomende leden : France L'Hermitte (vocals), Luc Van Acker (drums, keys, guitar, vocals), J.J.Burnell (bass, vocals), Dave Greenfield (Keyboards), Daniel B (synths programming), P. Gillet (synths), Glen (zang, bas).

Albums :
- Live for each moment (Sandwich - 1982)
- Mothers little helper (EP) (Enigma - 1982)
- Walkin' everywhere (Virgin - 1984)
- The overnight day (New Rose - 1988)

Websites :
- Polyphonic Size discography by Stephane Werquin.