Clair Obscur is a French post-punk, cold wave, and minimal synth band formed in Creil in 1981 by bassist Thierry Damerval, vocalist Christophe Demarthe, and guitarist Nicolas Demarthe.[1][2][3] The core duo of brothers Christophe and Nicolas Demarthe has remained consistent through lineup changes, driving the band's experimental sound that blends bleak minimal wave with striking visuals and multimedia elements.[1][3][5] The group gained prominence in the 1980s French cold wave and industrial scene, earning international recognition beyond France. Key releases included the homemade cassette *La Cassette Noir* (1982, later on *Play*), the 7" single *Santa Maria*, and 12" singles like *Smurf in the Gulag* (1986, Cathexis Recordings).[1][3] Their live album *The Pilgrim’s Progress* (1986, All the Madmen) and appearance on the influential N.E.R. compilation *From Torture To Conscience* (1984) alongside acts like Current 93 and Death In June marked early achievements.[1] They shared stages with Killing Joke, performed at venues like Le Cirque d’Hiver in Paris (1982) and Wiener Festwochen (1991), and built a cult following for their innovative live shows.[1][3] Later albums included *Sans titre* (1992), *Rock* (1994), and *Nulle Aide* (1999, as CO2, or "Clair Obscur 2nd Generation"). The band hibernated in the late 1990s, with Christophe focusing on his multimedia project Cocoon.[1] Reactivated in 2004 by the Demarthe brothers, they reissued *Play* and *In Out* via Infrastition and continued sporadic European gigs.[1][3] Today, Clair Obscur remains active, maintaining a Bandcamp presence with releases like *C.O.I.T. part one 1981-1983*, *We Gave A Party For The Gods And The Gods All Came... Live at Festival des Musiques Mutantes 1986*, and remixes such as *Es war einmal im kalten Frankreich*.[4] They challenge conventional representation in music and performance, sustaining cult status in underground scenes.[1][3][4][7] (298 words)