8/10

15/11/12 | Fat Possum

Melody Prochet is a French musician, classically trained for 12 years, who has enlisted man of the moment Kevin Parker (of Tame Impala) to produce her dream-pop album, having left indie band My BeeÔÇÖs Garden for something ÔÇ£rougher soundingÔÇØ. So yes, music snobs will be drooling after her relentlessly, but so should you; sheÔÇÖs made a wonderful record.

A scuzzy sojourn into sixties psychedelica, ÔÇÿMelodyÔÇÖs Echo ChamberÔÇÖ can boast a wonderful voice at its helm. The eponymous, aptly named Melody doesnÔÇÖt stray far from her range, outside which you can hear the most delicate strain enter her words, but rather sticks to high and breathy notes laden with rich post-production fuzz. In this regard she reminds me of Marianne Faithful, with her limited but evocative vocals that honey the heart. Instead, instrumentation takes precedence.

Lead single ÔÇÿI Follow YouÔÇÖ contains the albumÔÇÖs greatest riff, a modest, nostalgic affair with a homemade, country feel to it, and the bassline of ÔÇÿMount HopelessÔÇÖ is funky enough to remedy the gloomy synth tones. The record will, however, be challenging for some; having compressed the singles into the first half, the second abounds with French language tracks, instrumentals, and even a song about the Andes Plane Crash cannibalism. WhatÔÇÖs remarkable is how easy a listen this all is. Like all the best dream-pop, the LP washes over you while sill leaving an impression. Prochet said her mission in recruiting Parker was to achieve ÔÇ£the right balance between something pretty and something wildÔÇØ.

Mission accomplished.

Jimmy Dunne