Perdu
There are some things that I'm a sucker for. Others I couldn't be pickier. Generally speaking, the idea of a French female vocalist with childlike vocals breathlessly whispering over minimal electronics and stark guitar doesn't necessarily appeal to me. It seems like the type of thing that could go terribly wrong in a heartbeat. Turns out though, Eglantine Gouzy is excellent at this sort of thing, and it totally sweeps me off my feet. She uses this conversational tone to erect her melodies, all buttressed by her own back up vocals. And despite the almost child-like nature of her vocals, there's an overwhelming sophistication and confidence that just owns these songs.
I posted a track from Eglantine last year, from the excellent 4 Women No Cry compilation. I might've posted a remix as well. I honestly can't remember. She's definitely a favorite of mine though. I love her voice. Other songs on the record have wildly different instrumentation. This is one of the simpler tunes, with just the guitar and warbling, haunting wailings in the background. It also ends abruptly, as if shaking you out of a dream. It always snaps me out of it when the song's over.
The album will be released in September on Ireland's Osaka records. You can already pre-order it from the Kompakt mp3 store.