Naomi appeared in 2022 with a self-titled debut album, laying the foundations for her warm, danceable pop universe with singles like Zéro Stress and Pas le temps de jouer. She’s back with a vengeance this year with a second opus entitled Un coin sombre pour danser (A Dark Place to Dance), which takes her American influences a step closer to the dance floor, blending influences from R&B and house.
The album kicks off with Pleurer sur le dancefloor, a catchy song whose prod flirts with Marie-Mai and whose suave voice takes us back to Beyoncé, from whom influence returns nicely on Do To Me, with a particularly successful conclusion. The collaboration with Nissa Seych, Première chance comes next, with good rhymes and an interesting flow, on a dance prod that comes a little close to the atmosphere of Camila Cabello’s C, XOXO. A song I found very enjoyable.
On Dall, we find the influences of the icons of the early 2000s, with its slightly Circus vibe and Aguilera-style vocal flights. On Good Trip, we cross the ocean and find ourselves closer to European influences like Angèle and even a touch of Christine and The Queens on Long Métrage, another one I really enjoyed. There are also some fine production moments, which stand out on Sérieux in a vocal mashup with trippy effects, and on Phénomène, with its frenzied bass and Cardi B tinge. I was a little less taken with Ultimatum and Table tournante and their songwriting, but I don’t feel as strongly about their influences.
All in all, an album that I enjoyed discovering and that surprised me with its exploratory richness while retaining an irresistible, suave tinge, largely thanks to Naomi’s voice filled with warmth and passion.
