Not only is Astrid Chevallier a multi-talented composer, singer and musician, she is also a graphic artist. She designs movie posters. Her artistic talent is evident on her album, both in sound and in the cover art and materials that came with the record.
She is French but sings mostly in English. The music is reminiscent of PJ Harvey’s but also of the more ethereal moody style of someone like Kate Bush.
After Cirque is downright creepy. The string intro with its heavy drum and Björkish vocal track gives me chills. Fantastic. This track along with Pluie she does not sing lyrics but rather just vocalizes. She says “there’s no language I have heard of yet that could really express what I am going through on songs like Pluie and After Cirque“. Indeed. These are beautiful and scary, in a good way of course.
This is an odd but complex and wonderful release.