Navert
Montréal is rapidly becoming my go-to city when I'm in need of moody, dreamy - sensual and atmospheric - electro-pop. Following hot on the heels of Secret Sun, Milk & Bone and Bronswick comes Navert - the duo of siren-like chanteuse Annie-Claude Navert and multi-instrumentalist Guillaume Chartrain - whose debut album "Temps bipolaire" is a rewarding journey into a world of dark and addictive eighties influenced electro-pop...
I'm immediately drawn to this album as soon as I hear the opening bars of "Leslie"; drawn-out synths subside as Annie-Claude's calming vocals convey the undercurrent of desire that permeates throughout the song - at times imploring, yet never melodramatic - there is something quite captivating about the way her voice resonates with the looping keyboards and gentle percussion. I start to get the same frisson of anticipation as when I first heard Fôret's stunning debut. There's a poetic nature to the lyrics - which lose none of their meaning even when loosely translated into English - and it is this holy trinity of sympathetic vocals that are perfectly married to both the lyrics and structure of the songs, which makes this album such a compelling listen. This is an album where love and desire feature prominently, with desire again featuring strongly on "Ondes radio". Here upbeat rhythms coupled with bright, shiny synth - in a deliciously retro-eighties, euro-pop kind of way (think Fanny Bloom's "Pan" or Ariane Moffatt's "22h22") - however, you get the feeling that deep down Annie-Claude knows it's wrong, but equally somehow this girl just can't help herself.
"Dans le dalot" opens to haunting, pulsating synths and a melody that lingers long in the memory. The overwhelming sensation, as the song portrays a fading lover - returning to reclaim their past glories - as seen through the eyes of an ex, is one of pity and the imagery the song creates is incredibly reminiscent of the moods that Agnès Gayraud captures throughout La Féline's "Adieu l'enfance."
"Ta cadence" - for all the song's soaring chorus - harks back mournfully to a moment in time that can never be recovered or recaptured. There's this incredibly clever juxtaposition between the song's upbeat melody and the events the lyrics portray (although to be honest, the videoclip below probably does a far better job of explaining the story than I ever will...)
Sombre guitars and haunting vocals envelops a distinct air of sadness to "Les rues meurent sur moi" The sound is deliberately sparse, stripped of synths and effects, an incredibly moving acoustic number that features a very clever play on words "...Dans ma tête les rumeurs, Les rues meurent sur moi..."
I'm immediately drawn to this album as soon as I hear the opening bars of "Leslie"; drawn-out synths subside as Annie-Claude's calming vocals convey the undercurrent of desire that permeates throughout the song - at times imploring, yet never melodramatic - there is something quite captivating about the way her voice resonates with the looping keyboards and gentle percussion. I start to get the same frisson of anticipation as when I first heard Fôret's stunning debut. There's a poetic nature to the lyrics - which lose none of their meaning even when loosely translated into English - and it is this holy trinity of sympathetic vocals that are perfectly married to both the lyrics and structure of the songs, which makes this album such a compelling listen. This is an album where love and desire feature prominently, with desire again featuring strongly on "Ondes radio". Here upbeat rhythms coupled with bright, shiny synth - in a deliciously retro-eighties, euro-pop kind of way (think Fanny Bloom's "Pan" or Ariane Moffatt's "22h22") - however, you get the feeling that deep down Annie-Claude knows it's wrong, but equally somehow this girl just can't help herself.
"Dans le dalot" opens to haunting, pulsating synths and a melody that lingers long in the memory. The overwhelming sensation, as the song portrays a fading lover - returning to reclaim their past glories - as seen through the eyes of an ex, is one of pity and the imagery the song creates is incredibly reminiscent of the moods that Agnès Gayraud captures throughout La Féline's "Adieu l'enfance."
"Ta cadence" - for all the song's soaring chorus - harks back mournfully to a moment in time that can never be recovered or recaptured. There's this incredibly clever juxtaposition between the song's upbeat melody and the events the lyrics portray (although to be honest, the videoclip below probably does a far better job of explaining the story than I ever will...)
Sombre guitars and haunting vocals envelops a distinct air of sadness to "Les rues meurent sur moi" The sound is deliberately sparse, stripped of synths and effects, an incredibly moving acoustic number that features a very clever play on words "...Dans ma tête les rumeurs, Les rues meurent sur moi..."
There's also a sombre opening to "Falaise", monotonous synths loops and heavy bass catch the mood of the times uncompromising lyrics. Arguably this is Annie-Claude's strongest vocal performance (which on an album as strong vocally as this is saying something) which is capped by a glorious uplifting refrain which suggests that things aren't as hopeless as they may seen. Meanwhile, I've always maintained that women always have the best put-down lines and the album's title track is no exception to this rule. A withering retort from a wised-up ex-lover, the song pulls no punches. Revenge here is not so much a dish served cold, but one that is meticulously dictated.Guitars and percussion lead on "Ils s'aiment", a cover of a Quebec sing-songwriter Daniel Lavoire's best known song. I can't pretend that I knew of the original, yet listening to Navert's cover and the lyrics - poignant, powerful - are as depressingly relevant today as they were some thirty years ago.
I've mentioned eighties Euro-pop influences and these themes are again revisited on "Trouve asile" - the song is light, bright and very poppy, Annie-Claude's vocals are sublime - but the lyrics suggest a far from certain outcome - the video (below), has a significantly darker edge - there's an undercurrent of uncertainty, pain and fear - and frankly the ending is quite harrowing...
Yet while - as I've hinted - this album has an at times sombre hue, there are lighter moments that offer both a contrasting change of pace and mood; "Ma chanson" is pure timeless dream-pop, the lyrics dreamy while the vocals take on a childlike innocence. it's an incredibly intimate and personal number; Sensual lyrics melt into reverbed guitar as "Je te suis" celebrates trust and losing yourself completely to passion.
Deep synth loops bring this album closes with "LUV" - again there's this clever play between the song's title and composition - this may not quite be 'not a love song', but the general subdued nature plays out to a couple going through the motions, highlighted by the deliberate off-key rendition of "...Love me tender, love me sweet, Never let me go... It's yet another example of the clever lyrical word play and contrasts that are littered throughout this masterful album.
"Temps bipolaire", released via L-Abe (home of Lisbonne Télégramme) is the kind of album that leaves you eagerly wanting to hear more from a band. With Annie Claude's magical voice, Guillaume's musicianship and the pair crafting the near perfect fusion of lyrics and melody, Navert are a duo that it is going to be worth your while listening out for...
Navert (Website)
"Temps biploare" (Bandcamp, L-Abe)
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