Feu Follet is a French darkwave/synthwave project that began in 2019 with debut album Le Champ des morts. Originally instrumental, vocals were introduced with 2021's Beneath the Earth, and that has continued with latest album Swamps of Sadness. The album is comprised of nine tracks, featuring five different guest vocalists.
It begins with possibly my favourite track on the album, '21st Century Rats' that features the ever reliable Berlin based Vlimmer on vocals. This was a great start with a rocking track that is a statement of intent for Feu Follet's 1980's style sound. I loved the mix of electronic sounds giving the track a slight feel of music for a montage sequence in a film. Vlimmer returns once more for track six, 'Lemaire', another track with a good sound, and a neat meshing of vocals and layered music. Of the other four guest vocalists I was not familiar. Second track 'Claire's Vision' has a spy-like feel to it, with Pierre Bastien's voice adding to the once again great sounding music. Isabelle B. Baumann lends her voice to third track 'Alice' and penultimate track 'No Destiny'. The former is a dramatic track with a mournful feel, while the later begins almost industrial in sound. I don't know if it was just me (I do have bad hearing), but it felt slightly like the vocals were a little too quiet for the music playing here.
Fourth track introduces Thomas Schernikau, 'Dreams' bringing the pace down for a slower more dreamy sound, he returns once more for seventh track 'No Sorrow'. Sometimes the tracks felt like they would have worked better without vocals, and for some reason that second one fits that bill. Sometimes the music is so good here that the vocals (regardless of their quality) detracts ever so slightly from the sound.
This leaves just two tracks more to mention, both featuring Pat Aubier on vocals. 'Ashes in the Frost' has a trippy electronic sound to its start, the deep voice sometimes reminding me of Till Lindemann from Rammstein, though more stripped back. Pat also lends his vocals to album closer 'Return of the Sun'. This track had a jam session type feel to it, and reminded me of various gigs I have been to when the band go all out for the finish.
This leaves just two tracks more to mention, both featuring Pat Aubier on vocals. 'Ashes in the Frost' has a trippy electronic sound to its start, the deep voice sometimes reminding me of Till Lindemann from Rammstein, though more stripped back. Pat also lends his vocals to album closer 'Return of the Sun'. This track had a jam session type feel to it, and reminded me of various gigs I have been to when the band go all out for the finish.
I ended up listening to Swamps of Sadness a good five or six times. The music itself in particular always impressed, but as mentioned, sometimes I was enjoying the sound more than the singing, and the tracks towards the end did have a slight similar feel to them. As always, I understand both this isn't horror related, nor do I have a clue what I am talking about. I do like eighties sounding music, and Feu Follet's latest melancholic album is another that I wouldn't skip if it came on during random play. Swamps of Sadness was released on 18th July.
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