It’s about 30 degrees Celsius in Amsterdam, so it’s time to look at summer singles. One of the names that caught my eye was Mitsou. Canadian cult heroine from the 80s, she updated a single from the 90s.
This is the new version, with added rap, latin vibes, summer breezy:
This is the 1994 version, and yes that’s a Perez Prado sample, five years BEFORE Lou Bega used it in Mambo No. 5:
And this is the indestructible 80s classic by Mitsou:
As you know, voices are very important by selecting tracks for this weblog. And Opaline‘s sad but sultry vocals immediatly struck a chord. So did her atmospherical, new wave-ish electronic music – I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the cover of her new EP has some Stranger Things design overtones. I really like the more danceable ADN, but do try the other tracks too.
From Lyon, Clementine Weck released several songs and an EP (since 2024). Her voice has the right amount of melancholy (think Tanya Donelly), in her songs ‘it’s good to fall in order to get up again. Looking for the beauty in failure, the sweetness in pain.’ There’s a nice indie pop vibe, and new single Marcelle cherie builds to a fierce ending.
It seems to me that Franco-Italian singer Adèle Luisa‘s mission is to befuddle all of us with lush, laidback and leisurely songs that spark images of sultry beaches, fresh young coconuts and swaying palm trees. Take this floating airbed of a song, En Sous-Marin:
Or take this relaxing track:
More Adèle Luisa on this blog, here.
From Quebec City, Canada, it’s the duo Fleur de Peau. On their Bandcamp page, it says that it’s a musical synth-pop project. Pop, sure. But with lots of dream pop guitars, at least on this new album. Listen to this track, that nods to the 80s, there is a synth present, and that wonderful high-pitched voice of Elle Dubois-Sénéchal (her musical partner is Louis Fernandez). There are also more folksy, acoustic songs on this very versatile album.
Her name has a musical ring to it, Canadienne Eleonore Dessureaults first album has jazzy, folky vibes and (to me) sounds like Dutch songstress Janne Schra found a vocal family member across the ocean.
Eleonore writes songs that are piano driven, and give way to her wonderful, almost free style way of singing. References, apart from Janne Schra, are Emily Loizeau and (early) Feist. Her lyrics are very poetic, I love the title of the this track: The embrace of lost bodies.
Beautiful track by Montreal-based singer La Bronze, about being hyper-sensitive. To words, feelings, emotions, moods. Electronically charged, ominous and sensual at the same time.
