Vinyl LP, Compact Disc (CD)
Léonie Pernet’s sophomore album Le Cirque de Consolation features epic soundscapes that incorporate an equally epic list of influences: pop melodies; synths that oscillate from bright to haunting; West African drums; neo-classical strings and piano; militaristic chant. The French composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist weaves multiple musical elements into an all-consuming dramatic effect.
Pernet first caught the attention of the French indie music scene with the release of her 2018 album Crave. Since then, she’s expanded on her debut with an EP and a film series soundtrack, both of which display her penchant for dark, crescendoing songs. Le Cirque de Consolation finds Pernet at perhaps her most daring point yet when it comes to instrumentation, composition, and genre.
Album openers “Mon amour tu bois trop” and “Les chants de Maldoror” with Pernet’s poppy vocals and electronic dance beats beckon listeners to a space-age dancefloor. Meanwhile, New Age composition “Intérieur Négro” and electro-voice collage “Vowel,” offer an incubation period for the wrenching goth rock, dream pop, and classical-inflected half that follows. Thanks to Pernet’s smoky voice and evocative lyrics, a thread of melancholy, tension, and drama runs throughout this cinematic journey of an album.
