Review : Gaëtan Roussel-Ginger
If you’re a fan of his previous work, you will not be disappointed! Although some aspects of the album evoke the spirit of Louise Attaque (this applies to the quieter moments where Roussel momentarily interrupts its chorus to include a more gentle pace, without synths), the use of English lyrics and electro beats distinguishes it from his previous work.
Roussel teams up with soul singer Renee Scroggings on two different songs. On “ Si l’on comptait les étoiles”, Scroggings voice, reminiscent of Betty Bonifassi, is quite surprising and brings the song in an unexpected direction. What started out as a pop song gently switches into a wonderful rock piece. The mix of the two genre is simply perfect. On “DYWD” (Do You Wanna Dance?), Scroggings takes control of the song, Roussel appearing only on the back up vocals. This song could become a huge hit on the dance floor with its funky beats and English lyrics. It’s a far cry from Louise Attaque!
The song “Des questions me reviennent” is a more traditional pop song. It’s reminiscent of the work of Mickey 3D. It’s a very joyful song, hard not to hum while listening to it. The 90’s trip-hop inspired song “Trouble” slows down the tempo dramatically and is quite spellbinding. Roussel ends on a beautiful note with “Les belles choses”. The song is very subtle, focusing mainly on Roussel voice and the quieter sound of his guitar.
The album is simply a joy to listen to. It should please the hard core fans and make new ones. If you like artists who are constantly reinventing themselves without denying where they came from, you should appreciate this album.
Key Tracks: “Help Myself”, “Tokyo” and “DYWD”. –Nathalie Grand’Maison
Rating: 9.1/10
Translated by Nathalie Grand’Maison
