Winter Family

NEWS

BIO

Winter Family is a weird wave music and documentary theater duo founded by Ruth Rosenthal & Xavier Klaine. They met in Jaffa, Israel in 2004 and live together between Paris, Maxéville and Tel-Aviv since then.

Ruth Rosenthal is born in Haïfa and grew up in Jerusalem. She is graduated from the School of Visual Theatre of Jerusalem. She worked with several projects and independent israeli theater and dance companies as a performer or light designer, was light operator in the Israeli Opera of Tel-Aviv and was cooking in several restaurants of Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.​

Xavier Klaine grew up in Maxéville in Lotharingia. He obtained a first prize of piano and chamber music in The Conservatoire Régional of Nancy and a MA of political geography studies (Sorbonne University Paris IV). He was the bass player of Alive the Roupettes and Blockheads, worked in several bars in Paris and was teaching piano and chamber music.

The music of Winter Family is described as ‘doom swing’, ‘funeral pop’ or ‘weird wave’. Its dense, saturated, emotional, simple and obsessional. Ruth chants her texts, plays drums, machines and bells. Xavier plays pipe organ, piano, philicorda, harmonium, sitar & celesta. He captures also field recordings.

They published ‘Winter Family’, their first album, in 2007 on Sub Rosa, Brussels.
Since then they play live in clubs, theaters, churches, galleries and museums around the world and collaborate with numerous choreographers, filmmakers, musicians and artists composing soundtracks for performing arts, cinema, a train travel, art pieces and some advertisements.

As a continuation to their radio piece ‘Jerusalem Syndrom’ commissioned by France Culture Radio in 2009, they created the documentary theater performance ‘Jerusalem Plomb Durci – An Hallucinatory Trip In An Emotional Dictatorship’, awarded the Paris Impatience Festival Prize in 2011, and successfully touring around the world since then (Europe, Israel, Japan & Canada).

In 2011 they published their 2nd album ‘Red Sugar’ on Sub Rosa, Alt.vinyl (Newcastle), Ici d’Ailleurs (Nancy) and received the ‘Villa Medicis-Outdoor’ scholarship in New-York City from the French Minister of Cultural Affairs.

Winter Family lived in the neighborhoods of south Brooklyn for two years where they played concerts, moved & clean apartments, lost their gear because of Sandy Storm, bought a drum machine & moog, recorded new songs, several soundtracks and published the tape ‘How Does Time’ on Psychic Mule (NYC).

In NYC, Winter Family also collected sounds, images and texts to create ‘No World / FPLL’, their second theatre performance, produced by Centquatre Paris (in which they are associated artists) , Vidy Lausanne Theater and the Avignon Festival.

In 2014 they moved to South Tel-Aviv and published ‘No World’ a CD/book comissioned by Dis/Voir (Paris) and created ‘Back To Sodom’ for the ‘Nuit Blanche’ in the Jewish History & Art Museum of Paris.

Since 2016 their daughter Saralei performs most of the concerts with Winter Family. She plays the flute, machines & choirs.

Their 3rd album recorded in NYC and Tel Aviv ‘South From Here’ was out on February 2017 on Ici d’Ailleurs & Alt.vinyl.

Winter Family moved in Paris in January 2017, touring imusic and theater in France and Europe, they created ‘H2 Hebron’ produced by Vooruit Gent, Vidy Lausanne, MC93 Bobigny, Nanterre Amandiers and more. It was premiered in Oct 2018 and is still touring.

Actually, they record ‘On Beautiful Days’ their 4th album and start working on ‘Patriarchy – the white male, the witch and the teenager’, a new documentary theater show about their own family.

LINE-UP
Ruth Rosenthal : drums, drum machine, voice
Xavier Klaine : pipe organs, Philicorda, piano, harmonium

LINKS

PRESS

  • Pitchfork

    “As moving as I find this record, it’s not an easy sell. It’s such a weighty thing, exerting a constant pressure that is only occasionally relieved. But as harsh and despairing as ‘Red Sugar’ can be, there’s also a yearning for warmth and humanity, a desire to be lifted into the light. The key to it all is in how completely Rosenthal & Klaine inhabit this music: We never wonder for a second if they are really feeling it, and that makes it easier for us to feel. noted 7.9.”

  • The Village Voice

    “Winter Family‘s songs touch on topics like war and religious zealotry….Brittle pianos or velvety harmonium create twinkles and warmth—every track feels like it could crumble, presumably because the world can.”

  • Haaretz

    “Winter Family are a world in itself, a stunning world like a nature reserve and at the same time as foreign, scary and demanding as a forest in the dead of night.” – Avi Pitchon

CONTACT

Booking : Julien Bitaudeau
Promo : Varvara Papaspanopoulou

  • 'Rats' - Confinuum #48 (art & edit by Vincent Vanoli, 2021)

  • 36h Saint-Eustache (ARTE Concert, 2019)

  • 'Yallah' (vidéo by Philippe Petit, 2016)

  • 'Searching donkeys' (film by Edouard Plongeon, 2011)

  • 'No World' (video by Giovanni Brunetto & Bianca Peruzzi, 2017)

  • 'Shooting stars' live 2015

  • 'Y' (from Red Sugar, 2011, directed by Jean-Baptiste Toussaint)

  • 'Concert à Emporter' - La Blogothèque

DISCOGRAPHIE

  • South from here

    Sub Rosa / Ici d'ailleurs2016
    LP / CD / Digital

  • Chevaliers

    Sub Rosa2016
    LP / Digital

  • Red Sugar

    Sub Rosa / Ici d'Ailleurs2012
    CD / Double LP / Digital

  • Where Did You Go, My Boy?

    Marienbad Records2008
    LP / Digital

  • Winter Family

    Sub Rosa2006
    Double CD / Digital

Past shows

Click on "date", "city" or "venue" to change the list display
  • DateCountryCityVenuewith 
  • 06/11/2023IsraëlJerusalem (IL)HaZira Festival (ANNULÉ)infos event
  • 20/10/2023SuisseLa Chaux-de-Fonds (CH)Festilab - FabLab birthdayinfos event
  • 14/10/2023FranceGerm-Louron (65)Chez LilyLaurent Paris et Anna Fayardinfos event
  • 13/10/2023FrancePau (64)La CentrifugeuseBraccoinfos event
  • 12/10/2023FranceNuces (12)Ferme CausselotChocolat Billy
  • 07/10/2023FranceNantes (44)FESTIVAL SONOCRAFT #4, Les Ateliers de Bitcheinfos event
  • 30/09/2023ItalieTorino (IT) El Paso Occupato
  • 29/09/2023France Lyon (69)Le SonicRomain de Ferroninfos event
  • 17/09/2023FranceThiers (63)Le MétroArlt
  • 16/09/2023FranceConcots (46)Le Bois de la LogetteFaustine Seilman, Esmerineinfos event
  • 15/09/2023FranceSaint-Jean-des-Ollière (63)Pic de la Garde
  • 10/09/2023FranceVitry-sur-Seine (94) Festival Frisson Acidulé #4, le Kilowattinfos event
  • 09/09/2023FranceWasquehal (59) festival Disorder #2, Black LabWhispering Sonsinfos event
  • 23/07/2023Etats-UnisBrattleboro Vermont (US)Epsilon SpiresEve Essexinfos event
  • 18/07/2023Etats-Unis New-York (US) The Sultan RoomGold Dime, Gushes, Katy Pinkeinfos event
  • 19/05/2023France Rennes (35) Marquis de Sade (orga. L'Alambik)Attic ted event
  • 10/03/2023FranceMontreuil (93)La MarbrerieNo Ageinfos event
  • 25/11/2022FranceRoubaix (59)La Condition Publiqueinfos event
  • 19/11/2022FranceRennes (35)L'Ubu, Festival TNB - After Ubu #1, avec Tempêtes, Vinny Van Malass (DJ set)infos event
  • 13/10/2022FranceNantes (44)le lieu unique, Scène Nationale de NantesGolem Mécaniqueinfos event
  • 24/06/2022FranceParis (75)Le ZorbaRivière de corps, Hyèneinfos event
  • 18/06/2022FrancePrigonrieux (24)La Claque FestivalArabian Panther (DJ), Tonton Action, Rank Ô, Bramainfos event
  • 17/06/2022FranceTarnac (19)Le Magasin Général event
  • 14/05/2022FranceMetz (57)Festival Passages Transfestival, Magic Mirrorsinfos event
  • 08/04/2022FranceParis (75)Espace Dunois (orga Arrache toi un œil)(ANNULÉ)GNOD, Mai Mai Mai event
  • 22/01/2022FranceLe Mans (72)Le Mans Sonore, Les Quinconces et L'Espal, Scène nationale du Mans (carte blanche Teriaki) (ANNULÉ)Lee Ranaldo & Raul Refree, Félix Kubin, Inga Huld Hákonardóttir & Yan Leguay event
  • 14/11/2021FranceParis (75)Le Point EphémèreJerusalem in my heart event
  • 09/10/2015FranceSainte-Marie-aux-Mines (68)Festival C'est dans la Vallée, ThéâtreMansfield.Tya, David Thomas and Two Pale Boys, Play Kat Onomainfos
  • 03/10/2015FranceParisNuit blanche 2015 'Back to Sodom', Musée d'art et d'histoire du judaïsmeinfos
  • 12/11/2014FranceParisFestival How to Love, Le Petit BainJef Barbarainfos event
  • 11/04/2014CanadaMontréal (Can)Casa del Popoloinfos event
  • 05/04/2014CanadaOttawa (Can)The Daily GrindCosì e Così,infos event
  • 04/04/2014CanadaToronto (Can)Mâyinfos event
  • 03/04/2014FranceHamilton (Can)The Baltimore HouseCosì e Così, Kashka, Delta Willinfos event
  • 02/04/2014CanadaLondon (Can)The APKinfos event
  • 22/01/2014FranceRouen (Sotteville-Lès-Rouen) Trianon Transatlantique [ANNULÉ]Momiesinfos
  • 21/10/2013FranceLyonLe Sonicinfos event
  • 20/10/2013FranceMarseilleDatainfos
  • 19/10/2013FranceToulouseLes Pavillons SauvagesConger! Conger!, Matthieu Besson, Renaud Butô event
  • 18/10/2013FrancePauFestival ' Le Grain De La Voix' - Chapelle des Réparatrices de Pauinfos
  • 04/10/2013JaponTokyo (jp) Urban Guild
  • 03/10/2013FranceKobe (jp) Guggenheim House
  • 02/10/2013FranceFukouka (jp) As-tetra
  • 01/10/2013FranceOita (jp) AtHall Club
  • 18/09/2013FranceOsaka (jp)Higashi Shinsaibashi Conpass
  • 17/09/2013FranceNagoya (jp) K.D Japan
  • 15/09/2013FranceKyoto (jp) Savanah
  • 13/09/2013JaponKyoto (jp) Takutaku
  • 29/06/2013FranceParisPoint Ephémèreinfos event
  • 23/06/2013ChineKumning ( Cn ) TCG Nordicainfos
  • 21/06/2013ChineChengdu ( Cn ) Jiaozi Concert Hallinfos
  • 14/06/2013FranceLilleMinor Place Records event
  • 13/06/2013BelgiqueBrusselsMaison du Peuple de Saint-Gillesinfos event
  • 30/03/2013FranceParisLe Point ÉphémèrePowerdoveinfos event
  • 29/03/2013FranceNantesLe Lieu Uniqueinfos event
  • 16/03/2013FranceRennes'Musiqu'Alambic', Le Jardin Moderneinfos event
  • 27/02/2013FranceLyonFestival 'Plug & Play' - Le Marché GareThe Healthy Boy & The Badass Motherfuckers, Ultimate Blast Dancefloorinfos
  • 22/02/2013FranceParisLe Louvre'Les Médusés' (Un parcours chorégraphique de Damien Jalet au Louvre, entouré de 12 danseurs de la compagnie Eastman et de 15 étudiants du conservatoire de danse d'Anvers ; des musiciens Winter family, Sofyanne Ben Mohammed du groupe Rayhazone, Mahabub et Sattar Khan ; des stylistes Bernhard Willhelm, Rein Vollenga, Undercover, Alexandra Mein)infos
  • 15/02/2013FranceParisLe Louvre'Les Médusés' (Un parcours chorégraphique de Damien Jalet au Louvre, entouré de 12 danseurs de la compagnie Eastman et de 15 étudiants du conservatoire de danse d'Anvers ; des musiciens Winter family, Sofyanne Ben Mohammed du groupe Rayhazone, Mahabub et Sattar Khan ; des stylistes Bernhard Willhelm, Rein Vollenga, Undercover, Alexandra Mein)infos
  • 08/02/2013FranceParisLe Louvre 'Les Médusés' (Un parcours chorégraphique de Damien Jalet au Louvre, entouré de 12 danseurs de la compagnie Eastman et de 15 étudiants du conservatoire de danse d'Anvers ; des musiciens Winter family, Sofyanne Ben Mohammed du groupe Rayhazone, Mahabub et Sattar Khan ; des stylistes Bernhard Willhelm, Rein Vollenga, Undercover, Alexandra Mein)infos
  • 19/01/2013AmiensLa Lune des PiratesTristesse contemporaineinfos

  • 'Rats' - Confinuum #48 (art & edit by Vincent Vanoli, 2021)

  • 36h Saint-Eustache (ARTE Concert, 2019)

  • 'Yallah' (vidéo by Philippe Petit, 2016)

  • 'Searching donkeys' (film by Edouard Plongeon, 2011)

  • 'No World' (video by Giovanni Brunetto & Bianca Peruzzi, 2017)

  • 'Shooting stars' live 2015

  • 'Y' (from Red Sugar, 2011, directed by Jean-Baptiste Toussaint)

  • 'Concert à Emporter' - La Blogothèque

NEWS

BIO

Winter Family is a weird wave music and documentary theater duo founded by Ruth Rosenthal & Xavier Klaine. They met in Jaffa, Israel in 2004 and live together between Paris, Maxéville and Tel-Aviv since then.

Ruth Rosenthal is born in Haïfa and grew up in Jerusalem. She is graduated from the School of Visual Theatre of Jerusalem. She worked with several projects and independent israeli theater and dance companies as a performer or light designer, was light operator in the Israeli Opera of Tel-Aviv and was cooking in several restaurants of Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.​

Xavier Klaine grew up in Maxéville in Lotharingia. He obtained a first prize of piano and chamber music in The Conservatoire Régional of Nancy and a MA of political geography studies (Sorbonne University Paris IV). He was the bass player of Alive the Roupettes and Blockheads, worked in several bars in Paris and was teaching piano and chamber music.

The music of Winter Family is described as ‘doom swing’, ‘funeral pop’ or ‘weird wave’. Its dense, saturated, emotional, simple and obsessional. Ruth chants her texts, plays drums, machines and bells. Xavier plays pipe organ, piano, philicorda, harmonium, sitar & celesta. He captures also field recordings.

They published ‘Winter Family’, their first album, in 2007 on Sub Rosa, Brussels.
Since then they play live in clubs, theaters, churches, galleries and museums around the world and collaborate with numerous choreographers, filmmakers, musicians and artists composing soundtracks for performing arts, cinema, a train travel, art pieces and some advertisements.

As a continuation to their radio piece ‘Jerusalem Syndrom’ commissioned by France Culture Radio in 2009, they created the documentary theater performance ‘Jerusalem Plomb Durci – An Hallucinatory Trip In An Emotional Dictatorship’, awarded the Paris Impatience Festival Prize in 2011, and successfully touring around the world since then (Europe, Israel, Japan & Canada).

In 2011 they published their 2nd album ‘Red Sugar’ on Sub Rosa, Alt.vinyl (Newcastle), Ici d’Ailleurs (Nancy) and received the ‘Villa Medicis-Outdoor’ scholarship in New-York City from the French Minister of Cultural Affairs.

Winter Family lived in the neighborhoods of south Brooklyn for two years where they played concerts, moved & clean apartments, lost their gear because of Sandy Storm, bought a drum machine & moog, recorded new songs, several soundtracks and published the tape ‘How Does Time’ on Psychic Mule (NYC).

In NYC, Winter Family also collected sounds, images and texts to create ‘No World / FPLL’, their second theatre performance, produced by Centquatre Paris (in which they are associated artists) , Vidy Lausanne Theater and the Avignon Festival.

In 2014 they moved to South Tel-Aviv and published ‘No World’ a CD/book comissioned by Dis/Voir (Paris) and created ‘Back To Sodom’ for the ‘Nuit Blanche’ in the Jewish History & Art Museum of Paris.

Since 2016 their daughter Saralei performs most of the concerts with Winter Family. She plays the flute, machines & choirs.

Their 3rd album recorded in NYC and Tel Aviv ‘South From Here’ was out on February 2017 on Ici d’Ailleurs & Alt.vinyl.

Winter Family moved in Paris in January 2017, touring imusic and theater in France and Europe, they created ‘H2 Hebron’ produced by Vooruit Gent, Vidy Lausanne, MC93 Bobigny, Nanterre Amandiers and more. It was premiered in Oct 2018 and is still touring.

Actually, they record ‘On Beautiful Days’ their 4th album and start working on ‘Patriarchy – the white male, the witch and the teenager’, a new documentary theater show about their own family.

LINE-UP
Ruth Rosenthal : drums, drum machine, voice
Xavier Klaine : pipe organs, Philicorda, piano, harmonium

LINKS

PRESS

  • Pitchfork

    “As moving as I find this record, it’s not an easy sell. It’s such a weighty thing, exerting a constant pressure that is only occasionally relieved. But as harsh and despairing as ‘Red Sugar’ can be, there’s also a yearning for warmth and humanity, a desire to be lifted into the light. The key to it all is in how completely Rosenthal & Klaine inhabit this music: We never wonder for a second if they are really feeling it, and that makes it easier for us to feel. noted 7.9.”

  • The Village Voice

    “Winter Family‘s songs touch on topics like war and religious zealotry….Brittle pianos or velvety harmonium create twinkles and warmth—every track feels like it could crumble, presumably because the world can.”

  • Haaretz

    “Winter Family are a world in itself, a stunning world like a nature reserve and at the same time as foreign, scary and demanding as a forest in the dead of night.” – Avi Pitchon

DISCOGRAPHIE

  • South from here

    Sub Rosa / Ici d'ailleurs2016
    LP / CD / Digital

  • Chevaliers

    Sub Rosa2016
    LP / Digital

  • Red Sugar

    Sub Rosa / Ici d'Ailleurs2012
    CD / Double LP / Digital

  • Where Did You Go, My Boy?

    Marienbad Records2008
    LP / Digital

  • Winter Family

    Sub Rosa2006
    Double CD / Digital

CONTACT

Booking : Julien Bitaudeau
Promo : Varvara Papaspanopoulou