Breton act Steel & Velvet return with People Just Float, a stripped-down folk EP shaped in the spirit of Johnny Cash’s American Recordings: raw acoustics, unadorned vocals, and storytelling steeped in shadow and intimacy. Formed by classically trained friends Johann Le Roux and Romuald Ballet-Baz, the project expands here with guitarist Jean-Alain Larreur and guest vocals from Le Roux’s daughter, Jade, crafting a minimalist soundtrack for their accompanying dreamlike western short film — further tracing the EP’s conceptual tale of Joshua, a recluse in a forest cabin whose solitary world changes when he discovers a terrified woman in the woods.
The stirring opening track — a rendition of Robbie Basho’s “Orphan’s Lament” — pairs trickling acoustics and Johann Le Roux’s theatrical vocal entrancement, asking “will you wait for me?” with heartrending emotion. Le Roux’s riveting vocals again immerse with a cover of the classic “Ring of Fire,” which like the original stirs in its solemn vocal feeling — here elevated by alternations between solemn and more expressive tones. Then arrives a delectably moody take of Bob Dylan’s “Man in the Long Black Coat,” befitting within the story of Joshua in its atmosphere of Gothic dread and fateful mystery.
A haunting dual-vocal presence exudes a chilly captivation on a cover of Pixies’ “Silver,” whose lyrical depictions of “there are dangers, there are sorrows, I can’t see this lady” are also apt within the context of Joshua, his isolated setting, and his new acquaintance. Thickly reverberating, bluesy guitar touches bolster the palpable atmosphere.
A confident, bluesy styling also stirs on a take on Meat Puppets’ “Lake of Fire” — enveloping in its classic “where do bad folks go when they die?” questioning amidst no-frills acoustic chilliness. EP finale “In Heaven” is a lush, lovely send-off — feeling like a suitable next track in its references to “heaven” and how “everything is fine” — like an artful response to the predecessor’s “when they die” question; the oft-covered Lynchian classic finds excellent craftsmanship here as well. People Just Float is a compelling overall success of an EP from Steel & Velvet.
Check out the music video for “Man in the Long Black Coat”:
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We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
