Album Review: Tristesse Contemporaine – Stay Golden
2 min read
Parisian based trio Tristesse Contemporaine return with Stay Golden, the follow up to their EP Woodwork. With an eclectic mix of band members in a Japanese ex-punk singer Narumi, Swedish guitarist Leo and hip-hop singer Maik, it’s no surprise the group produce such an unpredictable sound. The unique and mysterious band is known for their experimental blend of Indie, House and dance music, mixing dark and deep vocals with upbeat bass lines and electronic beats.
The album begins with Fire, an upbeat dance track with steady, understated synth beats. From the opening notes the song sets the tone for a fresh and infectious new sound. The synth beats become more prominent in the title track Stay Golden, a House-Rock blend featuring heavier drum lines and electronic notes behind smooth vocals.
Next up is Waiting, an intriguing House based track complete with a sultry and hypnotising vocal performance and mellow electronic beats. The tune finds the perfect balance between frantic House music and more relaxed and mellow dub sounds.
The album takes a turn towards a more rock based sound on I Do What I Want, with electric guitar riffs and almost sinister sounding vocals which repeat “I do what I want/I never get caught/I never get caught/Cause I do what I want”. The song is fast paced and blends the House and electronic beats with the rock elements to create a unique sounding track coming in at the middle of the album.
Can’t Resist and Burning see the tone switch back to a more electronic dance sound, with the latter offering a mellow pop based tune. The mellow beats continue as Burning seamlessly blends into Pretend, a dark sounding House song which sounds like a slightly more upbeat version of the track before it.
Stay Golden ends with Most Times, a unique and mellow sounding track combining all the previous elements, such as electric guitar riffs, synth beats and a peppy bass line. Most Times is a solid album closer, leaving the listener wanting more of the curious and enjoyable sound.
Stay Golden is an impressive effort from Tristesse Contemporaine, blending elements from different genres to produce a unique sound which is enjoyable for fans of most genres. Their creativity shines through the brief 9-track collection and shows they are a band on their way to huge success.
