Y'know, it's true: the French really do know how to do things. There's just something about French disco/house music that is incredibly addictive. The unusual chord sequences that ooze style... for some reason, only the French can seem to do it.
I must confess to knowing absolutely nothing about Poom before I saw this track doing the rounds a day or two ago, but I'll be sure to follow them closely now (I would advise against a quick Google for 'poom', by the way, lest you find yourself on some shady corner of Urban Dictionary...). Because Les Voiles is an incredible track, and you owe it to yourself to listen to it. Read on to find out why...
I still don't know much about Poom - my lack of an ability to read and speak French is a bit of a hinderance there. But what I can tell you is that they are with Yuksek's Partyfine music label. I do know a lot about Yuksek, another fantastic French artist (I would encourage you to check out both of his albums), and if he believes in Poom enough to release their material, then that's good enough for me.
It helps, of course, that Les Voiles, which translates as 'The Sails', is a stunning track. It actually first appeared as a demo on the bands' Soundcloud almost 9 months ago, and the main difference between the two seems to be that the final version is, obviously, far better mastered. It begins with swirling brass and strings, with sea ambience overlaid (to fit the track's nautical theme). And then we're treated to a delightful slice of French disco, with stirring piano stabs and addictive guitar lines that come together to form a delightfully steady groove. I'm reminded when I listen to it of another French duo that went down this route last year - Daft Punk (you might've heard of them).
The layered vocals are so svelte, dreamy and laid-back, it's almost enough to make you forget all of your troubles. I have no idea what on earth they're singing about - running the lyrics through Google Translate did little to help me understand - but it all sounds delightful. When the music's this good, the language barrier doesn't matter. One niggle? The chord at the end, after the vocals and everything else has dropped out. It just seems... unnecessary, and I would far rather it had been left a little bit more open ended. But then again, that finality might make sense in the context of the lyrics, especially as the last line, "sans souci du passé," translates as, "without worry of the past". So of course I'd never judge harshly for one flippin' chord.
This is one of my songs of the summer so far. It's smooth, it's slick, and it's going to stay on repeat for hours. Yuksek has done mighty well to discover this hidden gem, and Poom have done even better for writing it. You can find it on Partyfine's first compilation album, Partyfine Vol. 1.
The Octopus' Verdict: 7.5/8
Release Details:
Name: Les Voiles
Artist: Poom
Label: Partyfine
Release: 16 June [OUT NOW]
Purchase: iTunes
Writer, musician, and all-round top guy. I set up Excited Octopus. Currently, I'm on a one man team. It gets lonely sometimes. But I don't mind, because I love you all.
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