ARTIST:
CAMILLE


ALBUM:
LE FIL


KEY TRACKS:
Assise
Vous
Senza
Vertige
Au Port


"I have a voice to sing, I have feet to run"


French born singer Camille really is best described by that common French adjective avant garde.  Her sophomore release, Le Fil, was released back in '95 but sounds as modern and fresh as the new Bjork record.  In fact, Camille and Bjork share a similar sound in that they both utilize the human voice as a sort of instrument in addition to providing vocals in unconventional ways.  But more importantly, they have voices so unique that you don't miss the familiar noises of guitar strums and cymbal hits.  

Le Fil translates into "the string" which is apparent in the album art.  However, this string concept carries into the record as a whole.  All 15 tracks all share a common underlying note, a "B" to be exact, that starts in the beginning and persists through the entire album, essentially the thread that binds them together.  It's a surprising concept in that I'm surprised not to have seen it more commonly used.


It is a bit difficult to write about Camille's lyrics since the vast majority are in French but melodies in music are universal, and Camille's are contagious.  The album begins with a short pop based jumpstart and doesn't let out until halfway through the play time.  The most energetic of these opening tracks is Assise (which ironically translates to "sitting") and stands out with a more tribal sound than the others.  Next comes Janine I which is more reliant on a scat-type sound.  


As the album progresses, so do Camille's vocals, instead of jumpy beats, the listener is lulled long smooth hums.  Senza and Vertige are fine examples of this stylistic switch, however they retain the same reliance on vocal sounds rather than instruments.  But just as the listener is cocooned into the relaxing nature of these two tracks, Camille's energetic vocals pull you back in with bright and bubbly tracks like Au Port and Janine III.  


And finally at the very end, things slow down a bit and the album ends the very way it began, with that humming "B" note.  All in all what's interesting is that these tracks are a bit all over the place yet still seem similar in that they are reliant on the ever present "B" note underlying each track.  So in a way, the chord is showcased to the listener in all the ways it can be sung.  In scat, in chant, in pop, in ballads, a-cappella, the possibilities are vast.  All in all, this album is quirky and fun.  Perfectly short and sweet which leaves you just enough to pique your interest about this artist.  All in all, who would have thought an ode to the "B" chord could be so entertaining!?  

LISTEN:  ASSISE |  AU PORT

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