A nuanced, liminal body of work, ‘French Summer’ feels both elegant and nostalgic, a slice of cinematic and boundary-pushing goodness in an overly gloomy reality. Built as an eclectic soundtrack to an imaginary road trip in the French Riviera, the album sees ever-evolving musical hero Mortal Prophets (aka John Beckmann) teaming up with vocalist Anais de Nerval, a collaboration that’s perhaps unusual, yet very effective. Beckmann’s aural genius well matches de Nerval’s haunting, ethereal vocals, wrapping listeners into an otherworldly orchestral journey, one that’s familiar, yet also truly futuristic and feverish.
Packing eighteen wonderful episodes, ‘French Summer’ is as varied as the horizon itself. Have you ever stood on the Nice seafront, appreciating the never-ending coastal views? Well, you can do that in Monaco too, perhaps with ‘Monaco Rendez-Vous’ as a soundtrack. Taking us back to classic cinematic orchestral pieces, the track feels retro and heartwarming, yet there’s an element of modernity that can’t quite be pinpointed. It’s the sort of dualism that we’ll often find in this record, a timeless character that’s hard to resist.
Released just in time for the upcoming sunny months, ‘French Summer’ is both poignant and uplifting. Speaking about the inspiration behind the album, Mortal Prophets explains: “The best way to understand this album is to imagine driving from Nice up the winding roads to Monaco, passing through perfumed air, stunned by the sea-swept vistas-doing 80 miles an hour in a luxurious convertible.”
Recommended! Discover ‘French Summer’ on Spotify:
