French Singer-Songwriter Rougge is on the cusp of the release of his new album ‘Cordes’, out tomorrow via The Gum Club, and ahead of it’s release, we’re delighted to host an exclusive album stream. The work harks back to his two previous solo albums, 2007’s Fragments and its follow up, Monochrome (2016), but he’s re-imagined eleven of the songs this time collaborating with a string quartet.
There’s elements of the likes of Sigur Ros (just listen to the albums Fragment 45, as the strings quiver and hold on static chords as the piano chords intersperse, as well as the likes of Dead Can Dance. Rougge’s voice, sitting somewhere between Antony (Antony & the Johnsons) with just enough of Jeff Buckley in there to catch the ear, soars over the usually taught and emotive strings. As an album it an often fraught and melancholy journey, but the stark beauty of the piano and warmth of the strings means that it’s worthy of repeated listens. There’s also moments of experimental modern classical music to sit in wonder at, including opener Fragment 12, which bubbles and spits out the very nature of the album – little fragments of melody, set against this almost atonal backing.
Sit down, switch everything off, and luxuriate in the beauty of Cordes.
The album will be released internationally on May 4 2018 via The Gum Club.
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