End of January, the alt-pop duo Blue Violet released Faux Animaux. At the album’s heart lies the human experience and its ironies, complexity, and animal simplicity. Review.
FAUX ANIMAUX – BLUE VIOLET
The glamorous and seductive opening of Blue Violet’s second album, Faux Animaux, through Sweet Success is as unexpected as it is captivating. Followed by Imagine Me, their pop sounds stretch from synths to shimmering guitars and a clear, hypnotic voice. Yet, the subject matter of the album is darker. The London-based band explores the question of humanity – at every level, from the people who form our communities to the leaders – asking who the real animals are in the end. Nature, or us?
We are increasingly leaving instinct behind, masking, attaching, and distancing. Survival, delicate and dizzying, arrives with an emotional vision of our need for others and the conflict within relationships. Even more ethereal, the song Talking To You delves deeper into the darkness of the human theme of love and relationships with others. Up until now, it has been Sarah Gotley’s voice that has led the way. On The Librarian, it’s the husky voice of Sam Gotley that takes centre stage, with a more folk-inspired sound and an atmosphere still full of humanity, exploring doubts and dreams. And it sounds like incredible pieces of introspection and successive actions full of irony that shape what it means to be human.
Although the mood remains dark with Cold Hearts, the band brings light with the upbeat Boogie Shoes, before diving into fiery passion with Fire, featuring some pretty funky riffs. Returning to folk, the melancholic Teeth Out follows. Here once again, the duo draws a true portrait of humanity, of its need for recognition, anger, and connection. The band continues to impress with a question of identity and freedom on Barefoot on the Seine, balancing tenderness with an electric political message. Faux Animaux concludes its exploration with the title track, vibrant and shared between the two voices of Blue Violet. The balance is just right, making the album deeply moving. After this listen, I felt a greater understanding of myself. At least, I felt understood, and far from alone. What about you?
