Magdalen
According to Wikipedia, Nouvelle Chanson is used to define a "new" style of music emerging in France, one which takes inspiration from the rich history of the French Chanson, while adding influences forged from both les années soixante alongside those of rock, electronica and incorporating intensely poetic lyrics incorporating surreal and metaphorical elements (whatever that means). However the defining characteristic of Chanson, both old and new, is that it focuses on the French language as vehicle and instrument.
In which case it's fair to say that the subject of this post is most definitely a Chanteuse...
"En vers et contre tout" is the self-funded debut album from Strasbourg-based singer-songwriter, Magdalen. It's an intriguing and multi-faceted album, weaving together as it does electro-pop and electronica, alongside indie, acoustic pop and hip-hop beats.
The album's title "En vers et contre tout" is a play on the phrase "envers et contre tout" ("against all odds") - translated into English it becomes "In verse and against all," which is very apt as this is at times challenging, confrontational - and yes, quite adult - an album. Even iTunes here in the States has managed to plaster a "Parental Advisory Explicit Content" sticker on the front - as if hordes of American kids are going to start learning French (but do buy the album from Magdalen's bandcamp page - I don't think Apple need the 30% - and beside which, the lyrics can be viewed alongside each song to see what all the fuss is about).
The album opens with "Mes cris tics", haunting reverbed keys slowly build to a high-energy electro Euro-beat; but then those vocals kick-in - there's something deeply hypnotic about Magdalen's flat, distinctive, voice - and then you start to pick out the lyrics; part confessional, part cry for attention and of anguish.
Magdalen's bandcamp page describes the album (and indeed the artist) as intimate and feminine; I'd also add feminist and one who is certainly not afraid to confront macho culture and sexism head-on; "Demi-molle" and "Pas dans ma bouche" both tackling these subjects unyieldingly.... The first is a great electro-pop song, very much in the style of Yelle; the song's title neatly describing the effect of excessive alcohol consumption on a certain male appendage(!) The latter, the title of which needs no translation, builds over late-eighties indie guitar (straight out of "Shine On" by The House of Love) before Magdalen spits-out her contempt for the target of her scorn (and to quote), "You truly are a moron, the I.Q of a protozoa."
And it's this juxtaposition of expertly crafted rhythms with challenging and forthright lyricism, coupled to Magdalen's icy clear, yet always warming and inviting voice, that makes this album - and let's not beat about the bush here - so irresistible.
But it's not all angst, "Faveur d'exception" is simply a beautiful love song. The song so reminds me the chorus of "Ouvre ton cœur!" from Catherine Leduc's outstanding "Rookie", that the two segue in and out of one another in my mind. In a similar vein, the haunting acoustic number; "Supplique à larmes" explores the futility and all-consuming nature of desire, while "Crise en thème" - a song that asks why the world stumbles blindly from one crisis to crisis to another - is arguably one of the most powerful showcased here.
There are a couple of bonus songs that are included with the bandcamp download, the short experimental instrumental "Passage," and the achingly beautiful and melancholic "Hymne à l'infini" that I've embedded from the artist's SoundCloud page.
"En vers et contre tout" is the self-funded debut album from Strasbourg-based singer-songwriter, Magdalen. It's an intriguing and multi-faceted album, weaving together as it does electro-pop and electronica, alongside indie, acoustic pop and hip-hop beats.
The album's title "En vers et contre tout" is a play on the phrase "envers et contre tout" ("against all odds") - translated into English it becomes "In verse and against all," which is very apt as this is at times challenging, confrontational - and yes, quite adult - an album. Even iTunes here in the States has managed to plaster a "Parental Advisory Explicit Content" sticker on the front - as if hordes of American kids are going to start learning French (but do buy the album from Magdalen's bandcamp page - I don't think Apple need the 30% - and beside which, the lyrics can be viewed alongside each song to see what all the fuss is about).
The album opens with "Mes cris tics", haunting reverbed keys slowly build to a high-energy electro Euro-beat; but then those vocals kick-in - there's something deeply hypnotic about Magdalen's flat, distinctive, voice - and then you start to pick out the lyrics; part confessional, part cry for attention and of anguish.
Magdalen's bandcamp page describes the album (and indeed the artist) as intimate and feminine; I'd also add feminist and one who is certainly not afraid to confront macho culture and sexism head-on; "Demi-molle" and "Pas dans ma bouche" both tackling these subjects unyieldingly.... The first is a great electro-pop song, very much in the style of Yelle; the song's title neatly describing the effect of excessive alcohol consumption on a certain male appendage(!) The latter, the title of which needs no translation, builds over late-eighties indie guitar (straight out of "Shine On" by The House of Love) before Magdalen spits-out her contempt for the target of her scorn (and to quote), "You truly are a moron, the I.Q of a protozoa."
And it's this juxtaposition of expertly crafted rhythms with challenging and forthright lyricism, coupled to Magdalen's icy clear, yet always warming and inviting voice, that makes this album - and let's not beat about the bush here - so irresistible.
But it's not all angst, "Faveur d'exception" is simply a beautiful love song. The song so reminds me the chorus of "Ouvre ton cœur!" from Catherine Leduc's outstanding "Rookie", that the two segue in and out of one another in my mind. In a similar vein, the haunting acoustic number; "Supplique à larmes" explores the futility and all-consuming nature of desire, while "Crise en thème" - a song that asks why the world stumbles blindly from one crisis to crisis to another - is arguably one of the most powerful showcased here.
There are a couple of bonus songs that are included with the bandcamp download, the short experimental instrumental "Passage," and the achingly beautiful and melancholic "Hymne à l'infini" that I've embedded from the artist's SoundCloud page.
But it's the song "Quintessentiel" that in my mind defines everything about Magdalen. It may not be the best song on the album, but in an album of personalised songs, this feels the most self-reflective.
Over a simple electro-beat she questions everything that she has written and whether there's actually anything new to be said. But the more she argues this point so it becomes increasingly apparent that nobody, apart from Magdalen, can write anything that will describe her world from her perspective. It's this need to create her own identity that ultimately spurs her on and which is captured by this song...
"Maybe it's true,
That I invent nothing,
Each of my verses,
Nor least any chorus,
Everything has been written,
Much better than by me"
"Quintessentiel"
"En vers et contre tout" is a very personal album and one that has been crafted without compromise... It's also an album of Chansons in the truest sense. The lyrics - paroles - and Magdalen's distinctive and transfixing vocals are the focal point throughout this impressive collection of songs. The end result is an incredibly mature and assured debut that leaves you yearning for more from this undoubtedly talented Chanteuse.
"En vers
et contre tout" (bandcamp),
(iTunes)
Magdalen Website
Magdalen SoundCloud
Magdalen Website
Magdalen SoundCloud
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