French indietronic outfit Camel Power Club drop meditative banger "Murano"

12 March 2019, 22:28 | Written by Mike Olinger

(Tracks)

(Camel Power Club)

Camel Power Club is the project of artist and producer Léonard, having lent his low-slung vocals to a slew of eclectic singles in the past few years, trying his hand at everything from surf pop to chamber folk. "Murano" seems to be his first deliberate attempt to shed the skin of previous genres, allowing unfussy melodies and counterpoint lyricism to stand on its own.

Originally constructed as a dynamic opener to set the mood at a gig, "Murano" blooms slowly and deliberately, finding its footing in waves of ambient cooing and percussive hand claps.

The bass pokes in after a few breaths, as if to keep an eye on the rest of the evolving instrumentation and then begins stitching together its own clever staccato melody. Somehow the whole piece mushrooms into a Tibetan-style chant, complete with djembe drums and earthy harmonies.

Léonard seems like someone who likes to ad-lib sections, leaving the pieces feeling inspired and intact. Little about the production or vocal feels premeditated or rehearsed. Even the cryptic lyrics feel like they were created off-the-cuff, which is strange when presented with the fact that Léonard wrote the song many years before he recorded it.

Perhaps this sense of ease can be attributed to the pervasive themes of contentment that blanket the track, culminating in the confection of a confession: "I am not drunk / I am just happy / That we’ve found peace / Speaking gently."

"Murano" is out now, self-produced on Léonard's label Bramar Records. Find Camel Power Club on Facebook.