Mackenzie Scott produces her music under the name Torres. This American multi-instrumentalist, based in New York, released her first album around ten years ago. Now, at the start of 2024, she is releasing her sixth opus. To produce it, she enlisted the talents of Sarah Jaffe, another multi-instrumentalist, as well as those of TJ Allen for the rhythms and mixing. This is surely her most personal album in terms of lyrics. Musically, although she has already recorded some introspective tracks, this is her most experimental album. Don’t look for tracks as catchy as ‘Thirstier’. Although guitar and distortion remain a beacon for her music, keyboards take on greater importance, to the point where the first track brings her closer to a Laurie Anderson, minus the vocoder. The sound soon reverts to PJ Harvey-style rock, even though Rob Ellis is no longer involved on this album. The sound oscillates between these two poles, and this new variety for the artist makes it perhaps her most interesting album.
Son of the pianist from the group Malavoi, this Franco-Martinican started playing the piano at the age of six. After classical training, he turned to jazz and improvisation. He studied engineering while working as a club pianist. He subsequently took part in a number of recording sessions, festivals and competitions. After releasing his first album, Ki Koté, in 2011, he decided to quit his job to become a professional musician. He released four albums under his own name, then, to gain more freedom, in 2019 he founded his own label. This is his third album for his own label, and it follows the same formula as his ‘Soley’ album, with Chris Jennings on double bass and Tilo Bertholo on drums. The sound is full and involving, and the balance between the instruments is perfectly respected, with the vocals slightly to the fore when they are present. The trio takes us on a journey between urban and spiritual jazz, with compositions that are both fluid and rhythmic, and bound to enchant us. The Adami jury made no mistake: “an artist to watch”.
Founded in 2013 and hailing from Évreux, Metro Verlaine started out as a duo, aided by a drum machine, before evolving into a band with a more classic line-up. They cut their teeth playing in pubs and clubs across France and in London. It was a defining experience for them. Their debut album ‘Cut Up’, sung almost entirely in French, just like this one, was released in 2018. Their influences include the French pop-rock bands of the 90s and above all the Anglo-Saxon new wave and post-punk scene, from the Cure to Joy Division and Television of course. This third album is one of those where reading the title is almost enough to know what’s in store. There’s the joyful, driving side of pop, with the rhythmic energy and the singer’s full voice, mixed with a surly, almost aggressive guitar. But the band’s characteristic hint of melancholy is still there, and they deliver 35 heady minutes of live experience.
Thanks to her warm voice, which she knows perfectly well how to modulate towards higher tessituras when necessary, she seems at ease with all styles. Styles that she has no hesitation in mixing and shaking up to produce music more in tune with her tortured personality. This Englishwoman, of Norwegian and Pakistani origin, took up the piano at the age of 9. She sang in jazz clubs before turning to rock. Since her debut album in 2013, she has been working with producer Ben Hiller. Without abandoning the simple, taut rock that has earned her comparisons with PJ Harvey, on this fifth album electronic sounds are more present. They give the album a modern flavour, but with a hint of the early 4AD productions. With lyrics that evoke her divorce, the loss of her mother and her attempted suicide, the artist takes us on a journey, based on tribal rhythms, to explore oriental music as much as trip hop, rock or gothic. Nadine Shah’s music seems to grow in intensity with each album, and it’s hard to say just how far she’ll take it.
Contrary to what their name and all-English lyrics might suggest, this quartet hail from Paris. They began their recording career at the time of the confinement, which didn’t allow them to get the exposure they deserved at the time by depriving them of the stage necessary to promote a release. In the space of three albums, they’ve evolved and matured. Leaving behind the somewhat depressed lands of their first album and the 90s feel of their second, they now offer us luminous pop rock, full of melody and energy, which owes as much to the Strokes as to Phoenix. Bassist Zoè Gilbert makes an appearance on vocals alongside Alexin Delamard, and the alternation of male and female vocals, depending on the track, helps to give the album a wider variety of moods, even though it’s still a traditional rock trio. Their great strength lies in their catchy melodies and choruses. Artscholl is the perfect song to get you going!
