Critical review: “Caravan Palace” brings swing back 100 years later
French electro-swing band “Caravan Palace” brings the Roaring Twenties into the 2020s with their fourth album Chronologic.
“Caravan Palace” released their latest record Aug. 31, 2019. Their previous albums “<|°_°|>,” “Panic” and “Caravan Palace” proceed this recent release. The musicians spent four years in the studio preparing the tracks.
The band members consist of lead vocalist Zoe Colotis, guitarist and programmer Arnaud Vial, upright bass and programmer Charles Delaporte, Trombonist and electronics manager Antoine Toustou, Saxophonist Victor Raimondeau and percussionist Paul-Marie Barbier.
Generations of listeners love jazz and swing tunes, but the electro-swing genre is new to the music scene. The term electro-swing feels like a misnomer, as much of the music under its umbrella incorporates elements of rhythm and blues, jazz and soul as well as big band swing. Electro-swing combines creativity with vintage sounds with electronic dance music beats.
This particular album takes a very bold twist on the genre. “Caravan Palace” typically dances to the beat of their very own drum, but this album took it to another level. They give the listener bass drops that drench the vintage jazzy swing tunes in euphoria.
The album “<|°_°|>” marks their progression away from acoustic sounds. This album includes their most streamed single so far “Lone Digger” with over 82 million plays on Spotify.
“Miracle” stands out strongly in this album. The fast-sung lyrics by Colotis focus on rhythm and mirror “Lone Digger.” The lyrics seem somewhat nonsensical, but with lines that hint at a critique on modern consumerism. Take for instance this line “New device, better price, keep you feeling impressed stop it all.” A snap track percussion beat mirrors the rhythm of the lyrics framed in saxophone melodies.
The atmospheric track “Fargo” spans a mere one minute and 20 seconds and stands apart in the album. The song opens with a sultry trumpet solo that pulls the listener into an old Paris jazz club. A haunting choral humming envelops the listener as the track fades out.
In contrast to the usual murky meaning of most lyrics by “Caravan Palace,” “About You” features an exchange between two people. The song duets between a strong and dominant woman and an undeserving man vying for her affections. Colotis sings the female vocals and French rising star Charels X provides the male vocals. Aside from the lyrics, this sassy track features groovy trumpet squeals that echo old time jazz.
“April” balances lyrical and instrumental quality. This intense track opens with a distinctly big band sound, followed by an immediate drop off at the soft vocals of Colotis. Although the vocals play an important role in this track, the synthesizer and upright bass direct the rise and fall of intensity. The groovy sound of the synthesizer makes rocking movements back and forth across the stereo sound, giving a powerful motion sensation to the listener.
”Plume” would not sound out of place on a pop radio station. So many elements come forward in this song making it difficult to pin down the dominant sounds. Tings from finger cymbals give a luxurious golden feeling. The sounds in this track reflect the ambiance of a Gatsby party with themes of excess and beauty scattered throughout the lyrics.
“Chronologic” breaks from the electro-swing genre that “Caravan Palace” often defined, incorporating more electronic sounds and bold beat drops than ever before. This album oozes a creativity unique from other albums in the Caravan Palace portfolio.
Fans of interesting and experimental music should break out a good pair of headphones and give this album a listen.