Always a pleasure to see & hear the pure La Panic pop:
Astral Coyote
Diaspora rhythm cumbia started in Colombia, but has taken over the entire latin music world. And Quebec, because Astral Coyote is a Mexican-Quebecois duo that mix la cumbia with electronics (there’s a world to discover if you like this blend). Astral Coyote wrote French lyrics for the first time, and because lead singer Olivia has a very fine voice, it’s only natural that they’re featured here.
From the press release: ‘The lyrics tell of the journeys we are called to: those we make in the vastness of nature, and the secret ones that transform us from within. Here, we hear the emergence of new identities, the shedding of the old, and that bittersweet feeling that accompanies every rebirth.’
I love that driving rhythm, Manu Chao-fans should take note, the glowing trumpetsounds and that melancholy-filled voice. Here comes the sun, people! The song’s coming out officially on Friday, so this is a scoop!
Leslie Medina
Beautiful contemporary pop by the gifted Leslie Medina:
Brigitte Fontaine
Nice; record label We Want Sounds releases an extended (with demos and all) reissue of French cult figure Brigitte Fontaine’s debut album from 1968. The album is presented as a ‘redefinition’ of French Pop, three years before Histoire de Melody Nelson. Jean-Claude Vannier (arrangements) is the key figure here, together with label boss and producer Pierre Barouh, and songwriter Jacques Higelin. Read on We Want Sounds Bandcamp page what you’re getting when you buy this double disc. If yer into Stereolab, Broadcast, Gainsbourg/Vannier and all related, and never heard of this album, yer in for a treat.
Loane Coste
Time to get re-acquinted to Loane Coste. Back in 2010, she just used her first name as a moniker, a little later ‘Coste’ was added. So that she wouldn’t be confused with Louane. On this blog, Loane was first featured with a INXS-cover (HERE) in 2010, later on I posted more tracks.
Now, her new album L’Air de la nuit is out, on Kwaidan Records (home to La Feline, Mareva Galanter, Julia Jean-Baptiste and with Nouvelle Vague-mastermind Marc Collin as CEO). It’s, again, a sultry affair, with triphop-overtones, atmospherics & electronics, and some stellar husky singing.
This is a cool single off of that new album:
Older track:
Sasu, CdP
We don’t know her real name, or what she looks like. Thanks to her Instagram, we know she’s a painter, singer and composer. Sasu, for it is her, she plays the piano, speaks English, recorded in London and worked with Eric Najar, who also mixed this superhit. Her first single/song, is a tender lovesong. Sung by someone who’s slightly damaged, but still wants to go for it. Piano-based, in the same vein als Coeur de Pirate. Who also released a new single, a love letter to her eldest daughter. Honestly, I like the sasu track better.
Debbie Harry 80
Today, July 1, marks the 80th birthday of Deborah Harry, lead singer of Blondie. She sang sometimes in French, first hit ‘Denis’ has a French verse. This version of Sunday Girl is fully French ( ‘cept for the songtitle):
Alberto Continentino & Nina Becker
Deep down, we all want to be Francis Lai & Pierre Barouh, scoring the movie ‘Un Homme & Une Femme’. OK, well, maybe not everyone, but if you follow this blog regularly, you probably have a preference for tender, bossanova’d French 60s music. A long intro for this track by Brazilians Continentino & Becker (the latter is pictured), who definitely channel some of that Lai & Barouh satin softness into this song:
Nelia Masengu
One of the most interesting, musically rich EP’s released this year is A Deux Doigts by Swiss-Congolese singer Nelia Masengu. It’s her second EP. She sings in French and lingala, has influences from jazz, R&B and Congolese folk and her lyrics carry tones of love, resilience and joy. I love her almost elastic voice, so soothing too. All tracks are good, this one stands out: