Last Updated on 2025-11-22 by a-indie
SCHØØL, a four-piece shoegaze band based in Paris, is making waves in the indie music scene.
Their frontman, Francis Mallari, will make his long-awaited Japan debut to perform at the SLYMO event on December 28, 2025 (Sunday) at Shimokitazawa BASEMENTBAR & THREE.
Rather than a full band set, Francis will perform an acoustic set featuring SCHØØL’s songs.
Sound Packed with Teenage Purity and Impulse
SCHØØL was formed around Francis Mallari, who is also a member of the Parisian post-punk band Rendez-Vous.
Their debut album 「I Think My Life Has Been OK」 was born from a longing for 90s MTV and skateboard culture, and an initial impulse to reclaim the “purity” of teenage years.
Their sound, where noise and sweet melodies coexist, echoes 90s shoegaze bands like Swirlies and Drop Nineteens, and has been generating buzz among early-adopter indie listeners here in Japan.
Additionally, SCHØØL members are huge Japanophiles, so keep an eye out for Japan-related characters that occasionally appear on their Instagram!
A Miraculous Night Made Real by a DJ’s Love
Francis’s visit to Japan is not part of a promotional tour.
It all began when Shota Katayama, who handles booking at Shimokitazawa BASEMENTBAR where the event will take place, started playing SCHØØL tracks during his DJ sets.
Under the pure enthusiasm of “I love this music,” cooperation crossed the ocean through BELONG Media, A-indie (who conducted an exclusive interview with SCHØØL), and staff member Maririn, culminating in Francis’s first visit to Japan.
This is truly a night born from the organic connections unique to the indie music scene.
Joined by Domestic Indie Acts Including QPLO and zuni
SLYMO, the event featuring Francis, is an all-night event starting at 23:00.
The lineup includes cutting-edge domestic artists CheChe, Doona, QPLO, and zuni as live acts, while DJs including organizer Shota Katayama, Fumiya Kawase, and hatchcatch will color the floor.
Don’t miss this special day where Paris’s underground scene intersects with Japan’s indie scene.
Event Details
December 28, 2025 (Sunday) Shimokitazawa BASEMENTBAR&THREE “SLYMO”
OPEN, START 23:00
TICKET ¥3,000 + 1 Drink (¥600)
Performing Artists (LIVE): CheChe, Doona, Francis from SCHØØL (France), QPLO, zuni
DJ: Fumiya Kawase, hatchcatch, judgeman, SPOT, TOMMY(BOY), Shota Katayama
FOOD: zyypsshy
Ticket Purchase: https://t.livepocket.jp/e/slymo2025
SCHØØL Album Release
Debut Album 「I think my life has been OK」
Release Date: September 5, 2025
Tracklist:
1. Schøøl Suxx
2. N.S.M.L.Y.D
3. OK ＜3
4. Missed Call
5. 3467200
6. Mouzer’s Quest
7. Gardener
8. Passing Breeze
9. The End
10. Chevalier B
View on bandcamp
SCHØØL Profile
A four-piece alternative rock band formed in Paris, France in fall 2023. Centered around Francis Mallari, also a member of the Paris-based post-punk band Rendez-Vous, and formed together with Erica Ashleson (Ba.), Jack Moase (Gt.), and Alex Battez (Dr.). Born from a desire to create with their own hands the kind of band they admired in their teenage years, they draw inspiration from 90s shoegaze bands like Swirlies and Drop Nineteens. Their debut album 「I Think My Life Has Been OK」 showcases a shoegaze sound that balances the two poles of nostalgia and purity.
Pre-release song previews🎧, reviews & information sharing✍, music production with domestic and international creators🤝, writing, and more—would you like to collaborate with your skills? Join here⏩ https://discord.gg/67T5evaBA5
BELONG Media Editorial Team
A music media specializing in indie rock, covering music from Japan, Europe, America, and Asia. Published 26 issues of “BELONG Magazine,” a music magazine themed around “roots rock.”
In 2021, appeared as a guest on J-WAVE’s SONAR MUSIC. In 2022, launched English sister site A-indie.
The editorial team draws its nutrition primarily from shoegaze and dream pop.
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- is a music media platform run by BELONG, a Japanese music organization. We publish music articles with a focus on indie music.