Johana Beaussart – Légendes de chiens hirsutes

The discovery of this mysterious lyrical object originating from Paris can be attributed to the completely crazy design studio La brigade cynophile – whose work was exhibited at the Cinémathèque québécoise last October thanks to curator and visual artist and musician Marie-Douce St-Jacques – who designed the cover for this album by Johana Beaussart. A thought that often crosses my mind: an artist with good taste in visual arts must have interesting things to offer musically. I was not mistaken in Johana Beaussart’s case.

Vocalist, composer, and sound artist Johana Beaussart creates rich little narratives and lyrical worlds in just seven pieces, which combine dreaminess and folkloric paganism. As the description of her work on her Bandcamp states, the artist has developed a “vocal work playing on notions of illusion, imitation, and narration,” and we could not have expressed better how it feels to listen to this evocative piece. Her first album, released last May, was entitled KOLOKOKSTA and took listeners to the far reaches of the cosmos. This second project, whose title can only intrigue, tells stories populated by characters exploring their relationship with the earth and animals. Sophisticated vocals, solemn percussion, ghostly electro-arrangements, and field recordings turn this fictional soundtrack into a fascinating universe. Special mention to the elaborate “Cavalcade Coco,” a taste of some Druidic ritual.