CHROMIUM is only the second album of the collective LaF. It’s hard to believe as his Bandcamp page is stained with publications… it’s as if it were his fifth or his sixth. Luxuriant discography, erected in just over six years with singles, EPs and solo projects, those of MC Jamaz (Troublespublished in the summer of 2021), Bkay (NoonMarch 2022) and Mantisse (Colin MaillardOctober 2022) that we ended up joining on the highway towards the Café du clocher d’Alma, where the group presented its new songs exclusively a few days ago: “We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time , we are excited to see how people will welcome them, ”said the rapper and singer.
They will not be disappointed, we assume: this CHROMIUM is probably the best project that LaF has presented since his victorious run at the Francouvertes in 2018. The first half of this fifteen-song album, in particular. We feel the collective in better control of its impulses, able to bring together its musical influences with a harmony that still escaped it on Citadel (2019).
“I think you can hear the maturity acquired in our writing, comments Mantisse about the texts of this new opus. It’s not a pandemic album, but its reflections emanate from the aftermath of the pandemic: a lot of questioning, reactions to social movements, like a kind of reflection on our place in this world. »
On the groove side, however, it’s fresh: the guys, explains Mantisse, became fixated on English underground music after the release of this first album, especially “the UK garage and drum & bass, we thought it was a vein to be exploited in terms of composition and rhythm”.
After the night owl luv in opening, its elastic bass and its obscure synth notes, the group dares the swaying breakbeat, on Polymer, Upper LandThen TRAPS, which sets the scene for the rest of the album. Trap points (Pilgrimage) and good old rap boom bap (LFSE) reappear over these fifty minutes of good grooves supervised by the composer and director Bnjmn. lloyd, with a few hits from Pops and Poolboy and other band members.
“For us, these influences resonate with the piupiu, this Montreal scene of beat making with which we identify a lot [il y a une douzaine d’années] and within which some of us have evolved, explains Mantisse. With LaF, we have always tried to surpass ourselves by launching into destabilizing ideas”, such as going to the English to see if there was not something new to inject into their sound and into that of the Quebec rap.
Try the balance
There are a few other new ideas for LaF on this album, which sees the band again trying to balance rap, soul and pop: more guitars, all over the place, a bit of violin (thanks Blaise Borboën- Leonardo) on Polymer And Give me all. There a touch of trumpet and flute, fruit of two collaborations, one with SeinsSucrer on The field of possibilitiesand the other with Rau_Ze, on the flowing Blue Cheez.
Hey, there’s the Francouvertes connection again! A summit of winners, Rau_Ze, winner last year, LaF, at the 22e editing. Incidentally, Mantisse is the new co-host (with Isabelle Ouimet) of the evenings of the current edition, a demonstration of his affiliation with emerging musicians — “Put some fruit on the table / The energy is palpable / For you , it’s a hobby / I can just wish the emerging scene good luck,” he raps on Pilgrimage 2.
“I stand in this environment, with young musicians, we talk about it, about the experience and the Francouvertes, says Mantisse. My advice to young people is very simple: go for it, repeat a lot and keep the attitude of whoever is going to win the competition. We, LaF, won the Francouvertes at a time when we weren’t particularly well-rounded; the competition gave us the desire to become more professional, but when we took part our project was still only a sketch. I also think it’s important to help young people understand the concept of professional showcases — it’s an art in itself to know how to present yourself well to the world, you have to understand the importance of these opportunities. »
CHROME, by LaF, is published by Disques 7e Ciel. The group will perform at the MTelus on April 14 and at the Impérial de Québec on April 28.