We might still be shuddering from that scene in ‘Antichrist’, but Charlotte Gainsbourg puts listeners’ minds at rest with something a bit less confrontational. This, her second album, is the fruits of a productive session with Beck, who has given her some intriguing musical clothes to wear. Sometimes her voice sounds a little far back in the mix, but this somehow works, with the arrangements on ‘Vanities’ and ‘Voyage’ lifting the songs to a higher plane, the latter dazzling with a huge array of percussion. On ‘Trick Pony’ Gainsbourg shows a bit more attitude, with a rolling beat and a loose guitar, but largely her voice is just part of the story. If Warp were to release something like this we might not bat an eyelid – which is probably the measure of Gainsbourg’s achievement here.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
