Milk & Bone

Phew - manic March or what? It seems that the past few weeks have seen a whole raft of albums released that warranted my (and by default, you dear reader) attention. In fact the artists starring in this featurette also released their debut album last month, it's just that with a wave of great records released recently and not as much time as I'd like to write about them (curse you, day job), I didn't quite get around to it in time...

To be honest I'd had my eye (and more importantly ears) on the Montréalaise duo of Laurence Lafond-Beaulne and Camille Poliquin - both already seasoned studio and touring musicians (for amongst others, Blog favourites Les soeurs Boulay) - who together form Milk & Bone, ever since I heard their debut single "New York" last year. Indeed I was seriously tempted to write a post then and there, but thought I'd stay my trusty pen as the duo had promised an album this year. And now having signed with Canadian label (and appropriately named) Bonsound, their long waited debut "Little Mourning" has finally hit the shelves...

Every now and again you just want to surrender to sensual, atmospheric pop and "Little Mourning" immerses you in the most lush of symphonies which mix melancholic trip-hop synths and beats together with piano and  haunting orchestral strings,  all married to the most gorgeous and hypnotic of vocal harmonies since a certain pair of sisters from Gaspésie.

Seeing as all three of the duo's singles ("New York", "Coconut water" and "Pressure") all feature and as I was so tempted last year to blog about "New York", let's start with this slow tale of heartbreak and an unwinding long-distance relationship (the New York of the title). This is a 'nose pressed against the window as steady rain beats down (on a humdrum town) upon the glass' kind of song. From mournful piano chords, the song builds through soulful synths and snare drum to the most powerful of denouements. The girls vocal harmonies are absolutely flawless, the song faultless...


 
However, such is the strength of this album that the singles are scattered - buried - throughout the album. Indeed the opening track "Elephant",  is the album's marker. Effortless and elegant, it's the perfect introduction to the magical world of Laurence and Camille Poliquin. Over an endless and hypnotic loop, the girls perfectly synchronised harmonies captivate and ultimately conquer. I mentioned Stéphanie and Mélanie Boulay above, but as the coda fades with the girls' sighing "Ah ahs", I am immediately drawn back to Les sœurs...

“Easy to read”, with its incredibly relaxing acoustic guitar, has the immediate feel of a haunting folk-tinged pop-song (after all this is a genre that artists from Québec tend to excel with). However, there are a few hints that the pair have a few tricks up their sleeves - there's the magical way that the background harmonies tend to float and weave through the analogue synths - but then at about two-thirds through the mood suddenly changes. There's a noticeable pick-up in pace; imposing keyboards and soaring harmonies create an intense technicolour landscape, before the song ultimately fades with solo guitar providing a nice symmetry... 

Indeed, if Milk & Bone were a mere synth-pop duo, this would be an outstanding collection of songs, but the fact that they are obviously multi-talented musicians highlights what an exceptional and multifaceted album the pair have created. None more so than with "X" - at 2'11" it's the shortest track on the album - it's arguably the most evocative. At face value It's just a simple piano-driven tune, yet one that is perfectly married to the girls' soft vocal style and which every time I listen I get goosebumps. There's another stunning example of this album's diversity with "Tomodachi." Opening to solemn orchestral strings, the song segues into a trip-hop beat over which the girls wearily lament an unrequited cyber-friendship, but then Toronto rapper Terrell Morris crops up, spitting-out lyrics (and it's soon obvious that unrequited is actually - from the male perspective - unwelcome)  before the girls mournful chorus re-emerges as the song fades. It's probably safe to say that rap isn't exactly my favourite musical genre and other collaborations haven't been as well received, but here the 'both sides of the same story' approach works remarkably well.

The single "Pressure" was actually teased just in advance of the album's release. It's another nigh-on perfect slice of electro-pop, there's an incredibly catchy and deceptively simple melody, a soaring middle-eight and once again note-perfect harmonies (you'll have noticed by now that I'm repeatedly drawn back to Laurence and Camille's angelic vocals. I make no excuse for this as frankly they are truly breathtaking).



When it was first released, "Coconut water" ably demonstrated that the duo can also create a seemingly effortless pop-song. This is the most bright and breezy of ultimate chill-out tracks. Shimmering 'pings' shine through the synth drum beat to add a hint trance-like 'chill.' Again the harmonies are absolutely spot-on - there is just something absolutely hypnotic about Laurence and Camille's voices - which ensure that the mind never wanders. Yet for all that, this song still remains the perfect track to unwind...



This all-too-short album concludes with "Watch" - gorgeous harmonies melt with the hypnotic beat - another effortless composition that ensures that as soon as the song finishes than the auto-repeat button is pressed.

Last year both Verdigrls (with whom Milk & Bone would appear to share a kindred spirit and who have a new eagerly awaited album in the work) and Secret Sun released the most intensely atmospheric synth-infused albums. This year Milk & Bone have picked up the (musical) baton and created an album that will arguably be my new go-to album when I need to destress and unwind (rather more often than I like, if truth be told) and will most certainly be making an appearance towards year-end. Here's hoping, as word of their prowess spreads south of the 49th, that they venture to this sunny - if somewhat parched - part of their neighbour to the south...

Nailed on Year list...

Milk & Bone Website
"Little Mourning" (Bandcamp), (Bonsound)