Émilie Cornut
To be honest I'm still shaking from last week's evening spent in the delightful company of Keren Ann, but any record that is recommended - either directly or indirectly - by Le Draveur as well making the monthly Le Canal Auditif playlist is generally worth giving a spin. Such is the case with "EP1", the more-than-impressive debut from Montréal-based 'auteure-compositeure-interprète' Émilie Cornut.
The EP opens with "Trois Pistoles" and a touch of static, over which a piano, subtle synth-slaps and Émilie's initially fragile voice float into view. It's moody - the lyrics (and a big merci for the booklet that is included with the download) paint an air of melancholy. It's arguably a true chanson yet there are inspired touches of electronica and an uplifting and soaring middle-eight, before piano and those fragile vocals bring the song back down to ground.
"Sel" is arguably the most faithful chanson of the four tracks. While it's effectively a simple piano-vocal tandem, the deceptive simplicity of the melody marries beautifully to the poetic - and yes, reflective and melancholic - lyrics. This piano-vocal pairing also plays-out on "Coupe à Blanc", but there are broad sweeps of keyboards and electro-pop that provides for a far more expansive sound which completes the air of mystery created by the song's dark lyrics. It's a song that probably best bridges the two musical worlds that Émilie inhabits.
However, I'm completely enamoured by "Fille au Corsage" - there's this intriguing melange of accordion and keyboards to open (again a nod to the two musical camps that Émilie flits effortlessly between) - before the song literally erupts into a full-on electro-pop song. The chorus is reminiscent of the jolly synth-pop of Marion Élge but the lyrics manage to be both mildly erotic and incredibly sad at the same time - behind the facade of the prostitute dancing gaily in her laced-bodice, all silk-stockings and velvet gloves - is a tale of contempt and especially hurt, "...Je dors dans des draps trop sales, Rongés de nuits futiles... (...I sleep in my dirty sheets, eaten away by futile nights...)"
According to her bio, Émilie likes frivolous and touching stories, and creating baroque songs with dark hearts - or as she puts it - Electro (pop) without the cold, folk without guitars. Apparently she also would like to be able to compose memorable songs of pathos and possess the smooth voice of a Dalida...
On the basis of the quartet of songs featured on this EP, I suspect that she's already more than nailed the first part of her objective - this is a collection of songs that not only pay homage to the art of the chanson, they do so in a remarkable fresh and contemporary electro-pop style - as I've previously suggested, Émilie moves seamlessly between both. I'd further argue that this EP is the mark of an artist who has an incredibly bright future ahead of her...
Émile Cornut Website
"EP1" (Bandcamp)
The EP opens with "Trois Pistoles" and a touch of static, over which a piano, subtle synth-slaps and Émilie's initially fragile voice float into view. It's moody - the lyrics (and a big merci for the booklet that is included with the download) paint an air of melancholy. It's arguably a true chanson yet there are inspired touches of electronica and an uplifting and soaring middle-eight, before piano and those fragile vocals bring the song back down to ground.
"Sel" is arguably the most faithful chanson of the four tracks. While it's effectively a simple piano-vocal tandem, the deceptive simplicity of the melody marries beautifully to the poetic - and yes, reflective and melancholic - lyrics. This piano-vocal pairing also plays-out on "Coupe à Blanc", but there are broad sweeps of keyboards and electro-pop that provides for a far more expansive sound which completes the air of mystery created by the song's dark lyrics. It's a song that probably best bridges the two musical worlds that Émilie inhabits.
However, I'm completely enamoured by "Fille au Corsage" - there's this intriguing melange of accordion and keyboards to open (again a nod to the two musical camps that Émilie flits effortlessly between) - before the song literally erupts into a full-on electro-pop song. The chorus is reminiscent of the jolly synth-pop of Marion Élge but the lyrics manage to be both mildly erotic and incredibly sad at the same time - behind the facade of the prostitute dancing gaily in her laced-bodice, all silk-stockings and velvet gloves - is a tale of contempt and especially hurt, "...Je dors dans des draps trop sales, Rongés de nuits futiles... (...I sleep in my dirty sheets, eaten away by futile nights...)"
According to her bio, Émilie likes frivolous and touching stories, and creating baroque songs with dark hearts - or as she puts it - Electro (pop) without the cold, folk without guitars. Apparently she also would like to be able to compose memorable songs of pathos and possess the smooth voice of a Dalida...
On the basis of the quartet of songs featured on this EP, I suspect that she's already more than nailed the first part of her objective - this is a collection of songs that not only pay homage to the art of the chanson, they do so in a remarkable fresh and contemporary electro-pop style - as I've previously suggested, Émilie moves seamlessly between both. I'd further argue that this EP is the mark of an artist who has an incredibly bright future ahead of her...
Émile Cornut Website
"EP1" (Bandcamp)
Comments
Post a Comment