Douze (Twelve) apparently wasn’t meant to be. In my report on Lazuli’s October 2024 show, I jokingly floated it as the likely title for the French prog rockers’ next album, a natural follow‑up to Onze (Eleven). But that’s not the case and the band’s twelfth studio album ultimately took its name from the opening track, Être et ne plus être. In that same concert report, I also described the three new songs unveiled to the Zoetermeer crowd at the end of 2024: Quel dommage, the title track Être et ne plus être, and the brilliant Chaque jour que le soleil fait. We then had to wait more than a year for the Leonetti brothers and their companions to release the finished album. But, it was absolutely worth the wait.
Twelve new songs with a total playing time of one hour are featured on Être et ne plus être. “To be and no longer to be”, or loosely ‘To be or not to be’, somewhat in the vein of the famous English writer. The ‘Guillaume’ Shakespeare of the group is Dominique ‘Domi’ Leonetti, not only a lyricist but also a composer, singer, guitarist, and bandleader within the musical collective from the Nîmes region. And a versatile man, too: he recently published two books, both naturally in his native language, just like all of Lazuli’s lyrics. Être et ne plus être has a richly illustrated 28-page booklet included with all the lyrics and a poetic preface by Dominique. The cover and photos are also of exceptional quality. The title above the preface says it all: Album 2026, guaranteed AI-free, made by hardworking, sensitive, and fallible people. Humour and feeling.
Dominique Leonetti’s signature crystal-clear vocals contrast with Roman Thorel’s piano notes in the title track Être et ne plus être, with lyrics dominated by ice, youth, and fragility. The music has a slightly familiar theme; I hear a hint of Coldplay. Chaque Jour Que Soleil Fait is the song that most impressed me when it was first performed live over a year ago. Unconditional love is the lyrical theme, with French horn and Léode playing prominent roles in this characteristic Lazuli number.
A completely different atmosphere is presented in the light-hearted, swinging Sourire with its Queen-esque touches, partly due to Arnaud Beyney’s guitar playing, which is reminiscent of Brian May. They always keep smiling, no matter how miserable you feel. Matière Première is a slow song with the marimba and Domi’s beautiful vocals as key elements. Fresh meat for Bogeymen; a whole series of villains passes by. At approximately seven minutes, L’Eau Qui Dort is one of three longer tracks on the new album. This song has a high sing-along factor, featuring magnificent vocal harmonies, slide guitar/Léode and piano. It also boasts beautiful lyrics:
we are still water,
with a thousand lights,
deep inside,
oblivious to each other.’
Beyney concludes in style with a melodic guitar solo.
Une Chanson Cherokee is a song with an acoustic feel. The combination of Domi’s vocals and Thorel’s piano playing remains a strong point for the French ensemble, however Beyney’s guitar playing is also impressive. The lyrics are about a ship bound for the Indies that ultimately ends up in America. Or is it about something else entirely? Quel Dommage (what a shame) is cautionary warning about what we are doing to our oceans and coral reefs. The band launches into an unparalleled lament, complete with the characteristic closing crescendo and Beyney going wild on his guitar. Speaking of fragile, L’Instinct, featuring Domi’s beautiful voice accompanied only by Beyney’s acoustic guitar, is a moment of tranquillity and a definitive highlight on Être et ne plus être. Domi sings emotionally about that one fleeting moment and how much he would have loved to hold on to it.
L’Homme Sûr is slow and menacing in tone, Leonetti sings that he’s no superman, but he’s confidently doing his best, at his own pace. Plenty of space between the notes and an impressive electric guitar solo concludes. The steady, rocking Mon Body Se Meurt is an indictment of our lifestyle, and especially our eating habits: too much fat, too much sugar, too little exercise. ‘My Body Dies’ is the rather unappealing title of this intriguing song.
Les 4 Raisons is a pun on four seasons, and the lyrics also make this connection. The four reasons/seasons receive an orchestral and choral musical treatment, somewhat atypical for Lazuli, but no less beautiful for that. The final track, Au Bord Du Précipice, is also the longest clocking in at almost nine minutes. The song starts slowly, following the tried-and-true Lazuli recipe: lead vocals with piano and synthesizer/Léode accompaniment. Then further developing with the drums, Léode, and especially Beyney’s guitar, with his sharp edges, bringing it to a crescendo. After which the piano provides a fitting ending. A strong song, profound lyrics too.
The music may be a little less adventurous than in the past, but it has gained in melody, depth, and emotion: it feels more accessible and more engaging. Perhaps the extensive touring with Marillion in this shift: the Brits remain masters at weaving complex rhythms and socially or poetically charged lyrics into a melodic whole. Every now and then, I hear echoes of this in Lazuli’s music. With Être et ne plus être, the band has delivered another strong album and very much a logical continuation of the trajectory that began with Nos Âmes Saoules in 2016. I simply can’t get enough of it.
Nos Ames Saoules in 2016. I just can’t get enough of it.
TRACK LISTING
01. Être et ne plus être (5:12)
02. Chaque Jour Que Soleil Fait (3:53)
03. Sourire (3:30)
04. Matière Première (3:26)
05. L’Eau Qui Dort (7:05)
06. Une Chanson Cherokee (3:54)
07. Quel Dommage (5:41)
08. L’Instinct (3:58)
09. L’Homme Sûr (7:05)
10. Mon Body Se Meurt (4:30)
11. Les 4 Raisons (3:50)
12. Au Bord Du Précipice (8:28)
Total Time – 60:32
MUSICIANS
Claude Leonetti – Léode
Arnaud Beyney – Guitars
Romain Thorel – Keyboards, French horn
Vincent Barnavol – Drums, percussion, marimba
Dominique Leonetti – Lead vocals, guitars
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: France
Date of Release: 30th January 2026
DISCOGRAPHY
– Être et ne plus être (2026)
– Lorelive (2024)
– Onze (2023)
– Dénudé (2021)
– Le Fantastique Envol De Dieter Böhm (2020)
– Saison 8 (2018)
– Nos Ames Saoules (2016)
– Tant Que l’Herbe Est Grasse (2014)
– 4603 Battements (2011)
– Résponse Incongrue A l’Inéluctable (2009)
– En Avant Doute (2007)
– Amnésie (2003)
– Lazuli (1999)
LINKS
Lazuli – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X | Instagram
