SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: LA NOUVELLE MUSIQUE – LA NOUVELLE MUSIQUE

LA NOUVELLE MUSIQUE
LA NOUVELLE MUSIQUE
FRUITS DE MER RECORDS

There are a number of ways you can approach your take on folk music, and very often the artists stick to the tried and true, sticking to the roots and traditional take on folk. Yet, when you decide to bring in other musical elements or present something that is closer to your vision of folk, it certainly requires two essential things – detailed knowledge of folk and a hefty dose of imagination. That is, if you want such music to work.

And that is where London duo of Joanna Beck and Ian de Silva that operate as La Nouvelle Musique comes in with their latest, self-titled album (and EP and six singles prior). Sure, there is a strong trad folk line flowing through here, like an the all-acoustic “Crazy Lady Blues,” but the duo obviously has the knowledge of traditional forms in their small fingers, but also an abundance of imagination to lace their music throughout, not only with electric instruments, but some lush strings  (and horns) arrangements that give their music that (modern and not so modern) psych folk feeling that works all levels. No wonder that the album was picked by Fruits de Mer Records, one of the hip psych labels these days. Worth it, all the way.

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