More about: Josef Salvat

It is almost a crime that Australian-born/Paris-based singer-songwriter Josef Salvat is still best-known for his 2014 cover of Rihanna’s 'Diamonds'. As wonderful and tender as that cover is, Salvat has quietly been making excellent original music with both style and substance for a while now. From his shimmering 2016 debut Night Swim to the melancholic-tinged pop of Modern Anxiety, to even last year’s heartbreak mini-album The Close / Le Réveil, Salvat’s music has always been rich and rewarding. However as great as those albums were, you always got the impression that Salvat was holding something back and still had more to give—and it seems that was indeed the case. 

Back with his third album Islands, Salvat is now creating as an independent, having left Sony after the release of his sophomore album Modern Anxiety. The result is a record that, despite it largely being crafted during lockdown, sounds unfettered and more liberated than any of his previous work. The moody ballads have been mostly sidelined this time around, with Salvat instead crafting an upbeat pop record that boasts vibrant production, catchy melodies and emotionally-charged songwriting.

The vivid neon glow of lead single 'I’m Sorry' is the ideal starting point, as Salvat’s anguished words are sung out over pulsating synths, laying out the sonic and lyrical DNA for the rest of the album to follow. The other two pre-released singles are then up next, with 'Promiscuity' a sex-positive anthem built around a delightful '80s guitar groove, that draws shades to the likes of Robert Palmer and Huey Lewis & The News. 'The Drum' is then arguably the best of the three—a buoyant track centered on an uplifting chorus of encouragement and some brilliantly futuristic, acid-soaked synths. It's a strong, lively opening treble and yet Salvat doesn’t take his foot off the pedal just yet. 'So Lite' is a tropical, club-ready banger, with spacey vocal manipulation and a hypnotic yet acrimonious chorus of “You don’t know what love is, do you?”

'Pleasure Pain' is more laidback but probably the weakest song on the album. That said, there is still a magical moment about two minutes in where the track breaks down into some ambient piano and Salvat achingly sings: “I want you to see me like I see you.” That section sets the stage nicely for the mesmerising 'Sunbeams' which follows, a song that simply glistens from the polished production and electronics that surround his voice. The chilled-out vibes then continue on the record’s lone ballad, 'Honey On The Tongue'. The minimalist backing allows Salvat’s passionate vocals to really come into the spotlight, especially during the ad-libs on the back end of the track, as he sings about moving on after a tough break-up.

'Happy' then picks the pace back up, a sad banger coyly disguised by its misleading title. It’s initially gentle and atmospheric, before seismically erupting into a synth-drenched chorus. There is a real sense of uncertainty and forlornness to the song, which is perfectly complemented by the quiet rave instrumentation that propels it. 'Billion Faces' then continues the dance portion of the album, with Salvat calling someone out for being false and deceiving over some House-influenced electronica. 'Changes (Without You)' is then one of the oldest tracks on the album, written following a visit by Salvat to a psychic in October 2017. It has laid dormant since, finally emerging here as a dance-pop ode to filling an emotional void.

Before you know it, the album’s title track arrives with the best saved 'til last. An angst-filled personal reflection on mortality and his own life spiralling out of control, he sings on the chorus: “They say no man’s an Island but I think I am, lying under cocaine skies watching as the years tick by—my mother says it’s such a shame, but I’ve only got myself to blame.”

It's a song that highlights what a talented songwriter Salvat is, elevated further by his incredibly fervent vocal performance and some utterly dazzling production. There’s also a heartbreaking moment of vulnerability towards the end where he sings: “I want someone to come and reassure me I’m exactly where I need to be…eventually”. Before you’ve had time to process that gut-punch, the song explodes into a minute-long, mind-melting guitar solo that eventually fades to black. It’s easily his most accomplished track to date and a suitably jaw-dropping climax to the album.

Overall, Islands is a triumph and easily Josef Salvat’s strongest album so far. Free of major label pressure, he has finally delivered the captivating pop album you feel he’s always wanted to make. Calling back to his own words on the title track, Josef is now exactly where he needs to be—and he’s never sounded better.

Island arrives 18 February via Leafy Outlook.

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More about: Josef Salvat