The new album from Montreal collective Clay and Friends will certainly not disappoint the numerous fans of the band. Containing the single “Gainsbourg”, released last November, the Grouillades EP is in perfect stylistic continuity with what’s already expected of the band: an amalgam of hip hop, funk and soul, with thoughtful, carefully crafted lyrics. If one of the strengths of Clay and Friends is to link unique and authentic tracks to form a whole, this EP is no exception to the rule. The main thread of Grouillades is its dancefloor atmosphere – to stay perfectly still while listening to this would be a remarkable feat. It carries a sensuality specific to the type of dance that gave the album its title, and was obviously not chosen at random: the grouillade. This sensuality comes out not only from the bass rhythm that punctuates the different songs and recalls Latin music, but also from the very warm voice of Mike Clay, the band’s lead singer and composer. The quality of the lyrics of the various tracks is up to the standard of Clay and Friends, marked by a poetry noticeable thanks to the wise use of certain terms and the ingenuity of the rhymes. This time, the collective opted for lyrics primarily in French, sprinkled with franglais, an aspect that distinguishes Grouillades from their previous EP, La musica popular de Verdun, which was almost exclusively in English. This new release offers the perfect combination of catchy sounds and captivating lyrics, all imbued with a Montreal vibe inseparable from the band’s artistic production.
