Juniore, fine makers of ‘yeye noir’, have a new album out. It sounds, in a way, as a tribute to the darker musical heritage of Françoise Hardy (think the Soleil album, songs like Le Crabe). With widescreen undertones. This is one of the highlights:
Jungle by Night featuring Merol
Now this is an interesting combo. Dutch singer Merol, best known for her feminine and feminist dancetracks (example) is one of the guest vocalists on the new Jungle By Night album. This Amsterdam-based collective started out as afrobeat-heads, but quickly added various warm-blooded styles (and keyboards) to their mostly instrumental repertoire. I’m a fan, ever since their first vinyl single came out. I never, NEVER, imagined they would ever pop-up on this blog, but Merol cooing in French over a pink plushy JBN-groove…well, here we are:
Marie-Pierre Arthur
Canadian bassplayer and singer Marie-Pierre Arthur was first featured on this blog in 2009 (see?), back then we gushed about gothic touches and Eno-esque soundscapes. Later, we talked about ‘angelic moods’ and nods to 70s glamrock (here). Pop from the seventies was, and is still an influence on MPA, as her newest Album Bleu sonically shows. This soft rock beauty is a strong example:
But MPA isn’t just looking back. This fantastic groove is a NOW song, with (dare we say it, yes we do) African touches:
Emily Loizeau
A name we hold high and very dearly on this blog, the wonderful Emily Loizeau. This is her new single:
Dora Surleau
Quick, quick, before summer is over:
Claude Fontaine
Claude Fontaine (real name: Nicole Rosenfield) is compared to the big guns: ‘At times, Fontaine channels Jane Birkin as backed by Jorge Ben. Françoise Hardy locked into sonic reverie with Mulatu Astatke, or Margo Guryan making lovers rock’, says her record label. She has a gorgeous voice, and her first album was quite a sunny sensation. Her 2nd album is coming up, La Mer, and she sings in French (yay!!)
Meimuna
Beautiful new single by Meimuna:
Coeur a l’index
How ’bout we kick off the new season with a solid indie-rock tune? By Bruxelles-Marseille-based band Coeur a l’index, whose first official single is highly charming (early Cure-references):
The band’s demo is on Bandcamp, HERE. By the way, ‘Coeur a l’index’ was an 1981 single for Muriel, in the Amoureux Solitaire-Lio way. See HERE.