A love letter to love and sunny vacations, Amorosa has released Petit Soleil just in time for springtime. Review.
PETIT SOLEIL – AMOROSA
For me, spring has taken an unexpected form as it blossomed. It is Petit Soleil, or small sun, by Amorosa. Perfect for a walk outside, a weekend, or better yet, a whole week of dolce vita, this record’s golden sound ought not to be missed. Linking open and sunny jazz to the songwriting talent of the band results in poetic lyrics, soft, loving and sincere. These lyrics and vocals mainly come from Stéphanie Scultore leading the Brussels-based band with elegance. Matteo Carola composes with her, and together, they form the core of the project. It’s completed by Mathieu Robert, Filippe Caporali and Falk Schrauwen.
Their inspirations come as much from Brazil as classic jazz, Amorosa brings it all nicely together. Better yet, it’s a journey. First, it lands in the middle of the Brazilian Carnival with Cache cache, then dances to a fun-summery-turning-apocalyptic evening on Casino. But it’s the intro, Petit Soleil, that shines through a profound love, a warm light. There’s a note of sadness that shimmers through the lyrics when Scultore sings to only have until summer to see her sweetheart (her ‘trésor’). A similar feeling and idea can be heard on the dancing and melancholic Liliane et Radou, which ends the record, and again on Il était une fois (Once upon a time).
Dotted with wonderful surprises and lyrical flights, like on Où es-tu ? (Where are you?) entirely instrumental, the record gets fascinating. Sung in French but also in Portuguese, like Meu menino, and its deep bass and clear guitar, the band also invites us to live in the present moment. Beautiful stories (Steven et l’hirondelle – Steven and the Swallow), unique songs (Déposer des fleurs – Placing flowers)… The last surprise is after the end of Liliane et Radou, with a couple of seconds of a tender a cappella. Petit Soleil by Amorosa is a hit offering wonderful delicate instants of spring and summer.