French punk rock trio The Tensions have released ‘Tangerine‘, a noticeably softer turn for the Mont-de-Marsan three-piece who’ve spent the last four years building a reputation on harder, more energetic material. The single arrives alongside a music video directed by Alban Gatti, with the track itself recorded, mixed and mastered by Léo Ferreira-Furet.
It’s a deliberate sonic stretch. Where previous Tensions tracks have leaned into propulsive punk rock energy, ‘Tangerine‘ opens up into power-pop territory, and the band have been honest that it sits in proper contrast to the rest of their catalogue. Drummer and vocalist Robin Jourdan describes the track as being about friendship, love, breakups, daydreams in bed, the brain remembering good times alongside bad ones, and the way overthinking can spiral until it becomes uncontrollable. It’s a song about not always being in command of your own thoughts, told through hooks rather than aggression.
Jourdan also reveals the writing process was natural and fluid. The composition started with what he describes as gibberish, just messing around with sounds to find what worked best, before the song properly took shape. The result is something the band are visibly proud of, and it’s easy to see why. There’s a charm and warmth in ‘Tangerine‘ that suggests The Tensions aren’t a band willing to sit in a single lane.
The accompanying video pushes the dreamlike feel even further. Shot at 7am on La Salie-Nord beach to avoid crowds, Gatti and the band wanted the dunes and vegetation to suggest somewhere caught between a beach and a desert, a slightly otherworldly place that mirrors the song’s lyrical themes of drifting between memory and overthinking.
We really like a band who push themselves outside their usual zone, and ‘Tangerine‘ lands as a confident, considered move from a trio who have plenty more to share. The Tensions have just announced a run of upcoming tour dates and have their debut album scheduled for September 2026, alongside more music videos, new tracks and additional touring on the horizon.
