Behind the poetic title of Amours Noires, we can find the first album by Aveline, a classically trained Belgian artist who, using analogue synthesizers and drum machines from the 80s, has recorded this work of eight original tracks and four remixes. Amours Noires is a beautiful record of elegant synth pop, with classic sounds, melancholic and ethereal moments and a more danceable final part. The album has been released by the French-Spanish label Unknown Pleasures in a beautiful digipack edition.
I always take advantage of the fact that Pedro Peñas Robles, director of Unknown Pleasures, sets up a stand at the Ombra Festival to buy new releases from his label. And this year, in addition to the re-release of Kill Shelter‘s first album, the latest Honoris and a CD by YORISMÄKI, I bought the first album by this new artist who, on a first listen, caught my attention. The label has always been committed to electronic music made by women and in the past has released material by both Julia Bondar and Judith Juillerat. Aveline‘s music is closer to the elegance of the latter, although all three share a love of analogue. For the album, the Belgian artist has been assisted by Docteur Lo in the beat making and remixing.
At a time when we are experiencing a great return to analogue as a synonym for authenticity, while at the same time there is a growing interest in unknown bands of 80s synth pop, Avelina‘s album should not leave us indifferent. Amours Noires, from the beginning, welcomes us with the authentic warmth that only machines can transmit. The opening ‘Alba’, with its classic, dreamy sound and beautiful vocals, calmly introduces us to an album that rises in intensity and BPM as it progresses. The album continues with ‘Amours Noires’, where we highlight the wonderful sound of synthesizers and the ethereal singing. The gentle rhythms of ‘Laudanum’ take us to the same artificial paradises as the formerly popular drug. ‘Paradise Lost’, as the lyrics comment, is a reference to Milton’s work. It is a more danceable track with a playful rhythm. The album continues in this vein with ‘Sassy’, a more upbeat, fun and sensual track. In ‘Electro Sad’, alongside the melancholic melody, we have, in contrast, some very fast rhythms. ‘Darling’ is a sensual song with harder rhythms. The sound of the synthesizers in this track alone is worth the whole album. With the curious name ‘El Gitano’ we find a powerful synth pop composition with a nice oriental melody.
This track serves as a bridge to the four remixes, which are more dancefloor oriented. As the title indicates, both the remixes of ‘Amour Noir’ and ‘Darling’ are quite satisfying approaches to acid, the latter being less sensual and more lysergic than the original. For ‘Laudanum’ they try electro and create the best remix of the lot. On the other hand, in ‘Sassy’ Avelina delves into one of the sub-genres of electro, freestyle, giving shape to a version that is curious to say the least.
