More about: Cate Le Bon

Welsh chanteuse Cate Le Bon returns with an amalgam of absurdist pop and dissonant instrumentation on her sixth studio album Pompeii. 

The sparse and striking opener ‘Dirt on the Bed’ sets the tone for what is to be a decidedly unique collection of songs. The bang of a gong, a soporific saxophone, and breathy vocals greet the listener. There’s something to be said about the strangeness of the instrumentation — it is cacophonous, full of unexpected twists and turns. With the exception of drums and saxophone, it should be noted that Le Bon plays every instrument on the album.

‘Moderation’ is a more accessible track, buoyed by its baroque sound and built upon a groovy bassline. Her multi-tracked vocals create the impression of a choir of Cates harmonising atop an elusive art-pop instrumental. A jaunty guitar rhythm and sizzling sax accompany her deft lyricism, as she sings: “I get by pushing poets aside / ‘Cause they can’t beat the mother of pearl / I quit the earth, I’m out of my mind / And the fruit of it all? / Moderation.” On ‘French Boys’, she delivers a fierce vocal, her Gaelic accent apparent. The slow-paced strut of a guitar weaved amongst swaggering synths imbues the song with a sense of power.

Title track ‘Pompeii’ captures the chaotic nature of the past two years with its jagged string arrangements, jolting saxophone, and harsh organ notes. There’s a sense of foreboding, something almost apocalyptic about the track as Le Bon intones “All my life in a sentiment / All my language is vulgar and true.” However, like the previous track, Le Bon is defiant as she declares “Every fear that I have / I send it to Pompeii.”

Imagery of original sin and Christianity pervade Pompeii, not just in its lyricism but in its cover art: a variation of Tim Presley’s painting of the same name. Le Bon is depicted as a saint, hollow-eyed and hand to her heart, a symbol of stoicism. ‘Harbour’ is a gorgeous chamber-pop number, with Le Bon’s voice reaching celestial heights.

Many of the songs make for slightly unsettling listens; the instrumentation is incongruous, almost jarring at times beneath her plaintive vocal. One such example would be ‘Cry Me Old Trouble’. It is an unexpected highlight on the album, with perhaps the most memorable hook out of its nine tracks. Le Bon delivers an astonishing alto beneath a rolling wave of sax at first. As the track unwinds, guitars simmer and synths reach a piercing crescendo. “I was born guilty as sin / To a mother guilty as hell” she laments, evoking an Eve-like figure.

‘Remembering Me’ is equally unnerving in its utilisation of a synth. Le Bon described the song as “a neurotic diary entry that questions notions of legacy and warped sentimentalism.”

The album’s final track ‘Wheel’ lopes along, driven by its sturdy drumbeat, providing the listener with a well-earned sense of catharsis. Musically, it is reminiscent of St Vincent’s 2011 track ‘Year of the Tiger’ — it may not come as a surprise that both musicians have toured together in the past. Le Bon’s voice oscillates between deep sultry tones and her signature soprano, as the music meanders. 

With Pompeii, Le Bon cements her status as an architect of sound, constructing strange melodies and weaving vivid lyricism to create a collection of avant-garde songs.

Pompeii arrives 4 February via Mexican Summer.

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: Cate Le Bon