Bed

Bed is a French group led by composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist Benoît Burello, with Olivier Mellano and Jean-Michel Pirès also listed as members. The project begins in 1995 and is built around Burello’s songwriting and arrangements.

Background and style

The group works under the Bed name as a long-running vehicle for Burello’s music. His songs set texts by writers including Henry David Thoreau, Henry Miller, Walt Whitman and William Carlos Williams to music. The sound draws on a wide range of influences, including the jazz of Ornette Coleman, the layered textures associated with Cale, the energy of Sonic Youth and the restraint and openness of Mark Hollis.

Musical profile

Bed’s material is described as evoking 1980s pop and new-wave music, with a strong emphasis on memory and echo rather than direct imitation. The project presents these sounds as part of its own musical language rather than as pastiche.