Divergente

Description

Divergent: "Who, starting from a common or nearby point, diverges in different directions." Anaïs's new album is aptly named. Because Anaïs's thing is to immerse us in her characters, with completely divergent stories and styles. We go from a jazz jam in Brooklyn in "Why are you so mean" to swinging 60's in "J’ai retrouvé mon mojo," we cry as if we were in an American romantic comedy with the rainy ballad "And I hold my lamp," and we laugh at the hysterical duet with herself, "Schizoprenia." Very pop, very soul, Anaïs even allows herself a few stories in English or in both languages. I don't write much about music and all that anymore, record reviews, I don't really know what to say. So when Anaïs called me, I felt a bit awkward because she said, "I'm sending you the album, and if you don't like it, just say 'no,' there won't be a problem." But even though this kind of situation is always delicate (if I hadn't liked the album, I could hardly see myself calling her back and saying, "Well, too bad, I don't like it at all"). But I listened to the album, and it reassured me for two reasons: first, that I wouldn't have to put myself in such a situation because I think her new album is fantastic. So much so that it's the second reason I felt reassured (I hadn't mentioned that I wasn't in great spirits before I started listening to it). Thomas VDB