Hydroplane New Monotonic FM (1997)
When, on the morning of March 28, 1910, Henri Fabre’s Hydravion lifted off the waters of Étang de Berre, a lagoon on the southern coast of France, it was nothing less than a sensation. The French inventor flew 2 meters above the Mediterranean Sea for half a kilometer before he successfully landed again on the water. It wasn’t just Fabre’s first flight—he had never taken off before, neither as a pilot nor as a passenger—but it was zero hour for hydroplanes, that is, aircrafts capable of taking off and landing on water. In the following years, Fabre’s invention was further developed and proved its significance for military operations during World War I. After the war, trans-Atlantic air travel with hydroplanes became possible and various companies offering short- and long-distance excursions popped up. It was only after World War II that hydroplanes, or seaplanes as they are referred to nowadays, lost their relevance. Landing on water became less of a benefit as the number and quality of airfields on land massively increased during WWII. These days, hydroplanes are still in use, but mainly to access remote areas. The romantic notion of places off the beaten track is a key element of the sound of the Australian band that took over the name of the vehicle Henri Fabre invented back in 1910. Hydroplane, a trio consisting of Andrew Withycombe, Bart Cummings and singer Kerrie Bolton, published a number of dream-pop-y records in the second half of the 1990s. While the band experienced some success in the underground scene of the day, Hydroplane’s music has mostly been forgotten over the years—just to resurface in the 2020s with digital and vinyl re-issues. Our favorite in the band’s catalog: “New Monotonic FM”.
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