OUT NOW on Shore Dive Records is the Noctessa EP by French dream pop/blackgaze act, Pam Risourié.
“Sleep Forever” is the first tune on the EP: it starts with fuzzy guitar and a beat and organ reminiscent of late 60s’ psychedelic bands, picking up Stereolabesque vocals. There’s a hazy, dream-like quality to this tune, which meanders and effortlessly flows. As the music changes to a chorus-part, edgy lead guitar and gnarly feedback chime in, providing a contrast between the dreamy and the discordant.
“Cinnamon Leaves” is a gentle and melodic piece with a very warm feel to start, bu an edgier undercurrent. This becomes apparent as discordant guitar and a broody bassline deviate and guide. The vocals are lush and pretty, but again, as the melody weaves and changes, cracks in the warm musical veneer start to show and a deliciously dark moodiness peeps through.
On “Dinosaurs”, the guitar is noisy and crunchy, juxtaposed with elements of jazz guitar and Dark Side Of The Moon-era Waters and Mason bass and drum fills. It’s a very beautiful tune, which blends styles and genres to create something unique.
“No King At Your Bones” really showcases a vocal richness and maturity. There is a noisier, Sonic Youth-style ambience to this track as a mellow dream pop sound segues into brooding blackgaze.
“Night Flowers” is a lighter note on the EP, with synth flourishes and gentle, jangly guitar. The vocals are further back in the mix, floating and ethereal, complementing the tone of the music. As the layers of sound entwine and evolve, it provides a softly delivered end to a shimmering, sonically diverse EP.
Pam Risourié’s Noctessa EP is available now on digital, CD and vinyl formats; to buy yours, visit their Bandcamp page.
