French Police Bring Their Darkwave Sound to The Van Buren

French Police brought their darkwave and post-punk sound to The Van Buren in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 1, returning to the Valley with new music and a growing audience eager to hear it live.

The Chicago-based trio, consisting of vocalist Brian Flores, bassist Ronaldo Donjuan, and guitarist Manny Herrera, has developed a following through its blend of post-punk, gothic rock, and new wave influences. Their music moves between English and Spanish, pairing brooding lyrics with prominent basslines, atmospheric guitars, and melodies that make even their darker songs surprisingly danceable.

Since forming in 2018, French Police have continued to build their catalog while attracting listeners well beyond Chicago's independent music scene. Their 2026 releases, including REPTILE / JAPAN and SUPER OVER DRIVE / SILVER, expand on the sound that first introduced them to fans, incorporating different textures while maintaining the moody atmosphere that runs throughout their music.

At The Van Buren, that combination translated naturally to the stage. Flores' deep vocals remained at the center of the performance, accompanied by Donjuan's driving basslines and Herrera's guitar work. The trio's relatively understated stage presence kept the attention on the music, allowing the instrumentation to carry much of the performance.

The tour's setlist draws from several periods of the band's career, with newer material appearing alongside songs that have become familiar to longtime listeners. Recent tracks such as “Reptile,” “Japan,” and “SUPER OVER DRIVE” represent the band's latest musical direction, while longtime favorites like “Vampiro” and “Libra” connect the show to earlier releases.

French Police's appeal has always come partly from the contrast between their sound and the response it creates. The music often leans into melancholy, but the steady rhythms and pulsing basslines make it difficult to stand still. That contrast carried into the Phoenix performance, where the band's darker melodies provided the soundtrack for a night of dancing.

The group's bilingual songwriting also remains an important part of its identity. Rather than separating its English- and Spanish-language material, French Police moves comfortably between the two, bringing together influences from different corners of the post-punk and darkwave scenes.

Songs like “Je Te Veux” and “CDMX” fit naturally alongside the band's English-language tracks, with their instrumentation providing a consistent thread throughout the tour's performances. The result is a set that feels cohesive despite the different periods of music represented.

The band's 2026 material also adds another dimension to its live sound. “SUPER OVER DRIVE” brings a more driving approach, while “Reptile” and “Japan” continue to explore the atmospheric guitar work and rhythmic basslines that have become central to French Police's music. Hearing these newer songs alongside the band's earlier work offers a look at how its sound has developed over the years.

For a group whose music is often built around relatively restrained vocals and repetitive, hypnotic instrumentation, the live setting brings another dimension to the songs. Basslines become more pronounced, guitar melodies cut through the room, and the rhythmic foundation gives the audience something to move to.

French Police have gradually built a recognizable identity within the modern darkwave scene, drawing from the sounds of earlier post-punk bands while developing a style of their own. Their continued output and touring have helped introduce that music to their audience.