Late Bloomer

It’s in season. Long after her country-folk career, Laurence Hélie is now cultivating a crop of indie pop. Far from her earlier releases, Mirabelle draws here on English music and songs created at a time when the term alternative had a certain relevance. Make no mistake, these songs don’t wallow in the past – Mirabelle’s 2020 touch dispels the mists of time. Space-rock, trip hop, ethereal wave and synthpop are carried by an accomplished, mature, self-assured performer. In spite of the vaporous nature of the album, Mirabelle doesn’t skimp on hooks, hence its pop credibility. The prominence of synthetic textures, the important role of electric and acoustic guitars, the binary groove of the rhythm section allow the flight of her textured, aerial voice, less candid than it seems at first sight. To carry out her transformation, Laurence Hélie was able to count on the co-production and playing of Warren Spicer (Plants & Animals), who plays bass, guitar, piano, synths and beatbox. Matthew Woodley (also of Plants & Animals) on drums and Christophe Lamarche-Ledoux (Organ Mood, Chocolat) on synths complete the team. Written in English, with a few exceptions, the lyrics summarize different episodes of life, a notebook of personal reflections on the arrogance of youth, the dreams debunked in adulthood, the missteps of the journey and the quest for serenity.