A leading band of 90s Britpop, Pulp is strongly embodied by the charismatic Jarvis Cocker, founder and sole original member today. Involved in music since his teens, he saw the band evolve around him. Starting out in post-punk New Wave, the band shifted towards a lighter pop sound in the mid-1980s and achieved notable recognition in 1994 with the album His ‘n’ Her, a success reinforced by Different Class, released the following year. Separated for more than twenty years, the band also had to say goodbye to their bassist, who passed away in 2023. The unexpected release of this album is therefore an event that will delight fans of English indie pop.
Jarvis Cocker’s relaxed crooner-style vocals and diction are as sensual and seductive as ever. They work wonders on the pop tracks that make up this album. While the compositions may not reach the intensity of the best tracks of the 90s, they will not disappoint fans with their sophisticated but never complex structures. The alternation of heavy tracks with more refined ones, plus a few stylistic deviations verging on disco, results in a very enjoyable album that can be listened to many times without ever seeming redundant.
As expected from a band of this caliber, the recording and production quality is top notch. The beautiful balance between the vocals and the other instruments is immediately apparent. The bandwidth is well used, with sometimes lush strings that call on the tweeters and rather warm drums, which are skillfully kept from becoming too emphatic if your system has trouble handling the bass. The transition between tracks with varying amounts of instruments highlights either density or precision, both harbingers of good times for the attentive audiophile.
Artist: Dominique Fils-Aimé Album: Live At The Montreal International Jazz Festival Label: Ensoul Records Link: domiofficial.com/fr Style: Jazz, Soul, Funk
Quebec singer Dominique Fils-Aimé grew up in a family where music was very present, listening to soul and jazz classics and training in classical piano and singing. She was part of several bands before releasing an EP and participating in the TV show “La Voix.” She then participated in numerous festivals and her releases were noticed, cited by the press and in award selections, including the JUNOS and the Félix, which she won. Each of the albums in her first trilogy explores a style of African-American music such as jazz or blues, and her latest studio album, Our Roots Run Deep, delighted our turntables.
No stranger to concerts and captivating stage presence, the singer has finally released her first live album. Inspired by Nina Simone and Billie Holiday, she masterfully blends genres without resorting to intellectual pretension. This concert feels more substantial and expansive than her studio albums, giving her compositions a more direct and physical impact. The gospel and soul influences are still present, but funk takes on a more prominent role, without being too intrusive, as the artist knows how to draw us into this moment of sharing without a single moment of boredom.
Her firm and composed voice is totally mastered, but she knows how to be playful at times to introduce a touch of fantasy. Like the singer, the accompaniment defies categorization, offering a wide range of acoustic and electric instruments. The quality of the sound recording is equally impressive, highlighting the energy of the electric bass and the subtlety of the brushes on the cymbals. The strong bond between the musicians is often palpable, and the feel of the venue contrasts with listening to an album recorded in a studio. As with any live performance, this is particularly noticeable and appreciable during audience participation, which immerses us in the concert with the artist.
Artist: McKinley Dixon Album: Magic, Alive! Label: City Slang Link: www.mckinleydixon.com Style: Rap, Hip Hop
This American rapper was born in Maryland before moving to Virginia, where he attended Commonwealth University in Richmond. He threw himself fully into music in 2015, at the age of 20, and his first album was released in 2016. However, it wasn’t until his third album, For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her, that he achieved critical acclaim thanks to his sophisticated lyrics and instrumentation. In ten years and five albums, McKinley Dixon has carved out a place for himself among hip-hop artists whose productions are eagerly awaited and scrutinized by specialists in the genre.
Known for the narrative power of his lyrics, McKinley Dixon takes a step away from the introspection of his previous albums, preferring instead to explore the feelings of a group of young people facing the loss of one of their own. Musically, he remains true to his love of jazz, which provides a rich and warm backdrop for his compositions. Far from the stereotypical image of aggressive rap with broken rhythms, the atmosphere reflects the rapper’s long, relaxed voice. A few tracks pick up the pace, but they fit perfectly into the flow of the album.
Although Hip-Hop-oriented, the music on Magic, Alive! showcases acoustic instruments. Numerous brass instruments illuminate the compositions, and even the percussion is not the result of a software: it is played by drummer Desean Gault. The backing vocals of the various guest artists reinforce the fluidity of the tracks. Without achieving the cohesion of a live performance, it is the organic connection between the flesh-and-blood musicians that you feel when listening to this album. Added to this is the meticulous arrangement of all the instrumental lines, which makes for pleasant listening even on high-fidelity systems.
Artist: Young Fathers Album: 28 Years Later Label: Milan Records Link: https://www.young-fathers.com/ Style: Soundtracks
For those who missed it, 28 Years Later is the latest installment in a series of dystopic films that began in 2003 with 28 Days Later. The three members of Young Fathers met in Edinburgh when they were only fourteen years old. They recorded their first compositions using a karaoke machine and took their current name in 2008. Their style is characterized by an eclectic mix of influences, including hip-hop, electronic, and pop. Their debut album won the Mercury Music Prize in 2014, and in 2016 they opened for Massive Attack.
It’s as if the dangerous and adventurous world of the film was destined to meet these curious musicians, who are not afraid to venture outside their comfort zone. Illustrating a film like this allows you to escape the constraints of a three-minute song, and while a few effective tracks would fit well on a pop album, the trio has a field day creating tense or light atmospheres depending on the scene. To do this, they can use a string ensemble and choirs in a conventional way or switch to more adventurous electronica.
The eclectic styles are naturally reflected in the soundtrack, with the studio’s ever-refined sound. In keeping with the film’s narrative, the soundscape alternates between a dense, instrument-laden panorama and passages where unsettling textures take over the listening room. The presence of heavy saturation also plays on the emotions, without the need for a plethora of instruments this time around for the music to convey a sense of anxiety. Even if you’re not particularly drawn to the film itself, listening to this album may pique your interest in seeing the images it seeks to illustrate.
Artist: Matt Berninger Album: Get Sunk Label: Concord Records Link: www.concordrecords.com Style: Pop, Alternative & Indie
Trained as a graphic designer, he also paints and sculpts, but is best known as the singer and lyricist of The National, a band formed in the late 1990s. When Matt Berninger arrived in New York with Scott Devendorf, they had already been friends for several years, but their first band had not been successful. Critics took notice of them as soon as they released their first album with their new line-up, and since their second album in 2003, their fame has continued to grow. This hasn’t stopped the band’s frontman from wanting to produce solo music.
As Matt Berninger is the voice and soul of The National, his second solo album is inevitably reminiscent of the band. We find the same nonchalant, natural class in the phrasing and melodies, which, without seeming to, become catchy and haunting. While the songs’ themes turn to more intimate considerations, openly referring to his period of doubt and artistic decline, this is only to better highlight the beauty of the light that comes after melancholy. In this sense, Get Sunk is an album made to gently accompany us when we want to return to the world.
For the sound engineering and production, the singer with the deep baritone voice has once again placed his trust in Sean O’Brien, who played the same role on The National’s albums. It’s a winning choice, because while the record won’t confuse the band’s fans, it has a lighter side, even though the songs are still extremely polished, with an immediacy that sets them apart. The warm voice glides over the guitars and synthesizer, a saxophone nestles in the gaps, all carried by a haunting rhythm. All you have to do is let yourself be taken by the hand.
