Selective Listening | Fancy Gap, Charlotte Cardin and Mach-Hommy

Every week, our music journalists add songs to the playlist of The Press on Spotify. Here are three recent titles that are in our selection.

Listen to our playlist

Fancy Gap (with Sharon Van Etten), Strawberry Moon

For an artist, sharing the microphone with an established star on the first radio single announcing the eminent arrival of the holy album is a big blow. This attracts media attention. We are no exception! Let’s be frank: we listen to this piece by Fancy Gap, a new duo formed by Stuart McLamb (member of The Love Language) and Charles Crossingham, out of curiosity above all, while there is also the great Sharon Van Etten. The result heard is magnificent. This sad ballad is constructed according to the codes of today’s country: on notes of a sliding guitar and a classical piano, a crescendo rises, while McLamb and Van Etten sing in harmony a story of impossible love (“Maybe we just can’t afford how we live/Together”) consumed… on the back seat of an old car. A country classic, it’s true, but we don’t ask for anything more, it’s perfect like this!

Philippe Beauchemin, The Press

Charlotte Cardin, Lonely With Our Love

There is almost nothing on this new song by Charlotte Cardin: emotive piano, discreet percussion and almost angelic choirs. But above all, above all, above all, there is the fantastic singing of the young singer. Right down to the slightest tremolo, she shows the almost raw beauty of her voice in this song of lovelessness, neither pitiful nor vengeful. There is even still a lot of affection in Lonely With Our Love, which shows that Charlotte Cardin has as much soul as Amy Winehouse, minus the desire for self-destruction. This track opens a three-song mini-mini-album titled One Week in Nashville unveiled Friday.

Alexandre Vigneault, The Press

Mach-Hommy, #RICHAXXHAITIAN

The American rapper of Haitian origin Mach-Hommy has just launched the album #RICHAXXHAITIAN, whose release coincides with Haitian Flag Day, celebrated on May 18. The title track, produced by Quebecer Kaytranada, blows a very pleasant summer breeze. THE flow Mach’s electrifying rhythms, Kaytra’s keyboard-laden tribal rhythms and 03 Greedo’s catchy chorus harmonize perfectly. The album is the final chapter of a tetralogy begun in 2016 dedicated to the Pearl of the Antilles. It includes, among other things, Pray For Haiti, one of the best rap albums of the last five years. As talented as he is mysterious, the MC called on Black Thought, Roc Marciano, Tha God Fahim and Your Old Droog to support him on the mic. Conductor Williams and Sadhu Gold contribute to the beats.

Pascal LeBlanc, The Press