Marie Minet is a Portuguese-based French singer/songwriter with a silky, expressive voice, and her new single ‘Je Serais Tout Se Que Tu Veux’ (I Would Be Anything You Want) is an absolute mesmerising wonder.
Intermingled into the sound is an element of African music (particularly Cape Verde) and what I detect to be a touch of fado – an expressive and profoundly melancholic singing style in the Portuguese tradition.
Ultimately though, the track is deeply beautiful and quite unique – a shuffling, insistent percussion, crystalline guitars, a voice filled with romanticism and longing. The vocals mix a talking style with celestial singing. The riffs by the horns adds an unique and a vibrant punctuation to the sound – but one that is elegant and mysterious.
In effect, a mediterranean sun-filled track that is leavened by passing clouds casting the briefest of shadows. In my frame of reference, a Serge Gainsbourg languid fluidity melded to a Mylène Farmer pop sensibility.
This thoroughly refreshing track – quite a blast of fresh air – exudes an image of sunshine and waves and a dreamy restlessness that is thoroughly enchanting:
This single follows two earlier releases which are well worth following up here. Minet’s debut album, ‘Clair Obscur’, is expected in the coming months through M.A.R. (Melides Art Records). This album began with the texts of her brother Paul and is set to music by Jon Luz, a master of world music who has worked, among others, for Cesária Évora, both world famous Cape Verdean musicians.
