Hitching a ride with John Beckmann in whatever sonic vehicle he happens to be driving always promises to be a breathtaking journey, one where you will take roads less traveled and venture along pathways where expectations need to be shed if you are going to appreciate the musical view unburdened.
In the last year, I have travelled with him through re-imagined Laurel Canyon soundscapes and drifted on gossamer wings through cinematic soundtracks; I have saluted the upside-down American flag as he kicks out the jams of rebellion and restlessness, and I have danced along to operatic krautrock. You get your sonic passport stamped with surprising regularity when you try to keep up with John Beckmann and the music that he makes under the Mortal Prophets umbrella.
This time out, we jump into his ethereal 2CV and join him on a journey through the French Riviera, one where the glamour and sophistication, sun and sea coalesce into a drifting chamber pop meets electronica groove, where euro-disco meets experimental cinema soundtrack creation.
From “Sunseekers” blend of neo-soul dance and ambient spoken word, reminiscent perhaps of what Gainsbourg and Birkin might have come up with if they were composing today, to “Swept Away’s” blend of Arabic sounds and Parisian cafe vibes, and from the title track’s liquid groove to “What’s Your Name’s” breathy brilliance, this is a typically unique venture.
And the icing on the cake is Anais de Nerval who, although adding only brief soundbites and heady vocals, can, in just a few words, evoke states of chilled-out bliss or unexpected arousal, as required, as she whispers to long lost lovers and sonically embodies the style and sophistication of the iconic 50’s fashionistas of a time gone by.
Don’t expect me to round this review off with a couple of catch-all descriptions of what to expect; you can rarely do that with John Beckmann’s work, and certainly not here. Expect the unexpected, and even then, the unexpected you receive will be vastly different from the unexpected you expected. But then, what else did you expect?
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