Note: First Spin is a new series that aims to provide an initial response to a recent work.
Surprise and delight filled my consciousness as the first bars of Cœur de pirate’s new single, “Cavale,” began to play.
With a rousing backbeat and a synthesizer-driven aesthetic, it’s an exciting shift for the Canadian singer-songwriter and pianist, whose previous works have shied away from the textures of traditional radio pop music. The Francophone artist’s earlier work has leaned toward a more sophisticated sound; I might even dare to describe her music with the term “adult contemporary.”
This change is enough to throw a fan for a loop, in the best way.
It’s a track that invites dancing with youthful fire while staying true to the artist’s substantial catalog.
Cœur de pirate is the longtime stage name of Béatrice Mireille Martin. In April 2021, she released Perséides, a collection of 10 instrumental solo piano pieces that suggested an entirely different direction. Martin produced the album while recovering from a vocal cord surgery.
The instrumental work was followed in October by her return to the microphone with her second full-length album of the year, Impossible à aimer, which in retrospect seems to offer a hint of what was to come.
The April 11 release of “Cavale” gives the impression of eagerness and optimism — a self-assertion during difficult times.
Using my very minimal understanding of French — and with the help of fans who have translated the new song — I choose to interpret the piece with a positive focus on the good days that follow the bad.
Given the piece’s bright tone, dance-focused center and sweeping chorus, I can’t help but make that conclusion.
A joyous saxophone closing the piece cements the mood.
