It’s a little tricky when you introduce your music as a new genre that no one has heard of, and especially so when your so-called genre is dubbed ‘noirwave’. But the intro track of Petite Noir’s debut album La Vie Est Belle / Life is Beautiful proudly champions it (“Intro Noirwave”), and for anyone who’s been following Yannick Ilunga’s career as Petite Noir since last year, they would probably describe it as the combination of Afropunk and new wave influences. Ilunga has had a diverse musical career, starting off in a metal band before moving on to a chillwave effort. According to him, listening to Kanye West’s 808 and Heartbreaks made Ilunga pivot and “changed [his] life”. From there, Ilunga became Petite Noir and burst onto the scene with his King of Anxiety EP and notable single, “Chess”, which makes an appearance on the debut as well. As far as noirwave goes, it’s clear that Petite Noir has crafted his own space; it’s indie pop masked with some interesting influences, and Petite Noir’s songwriting lets him excel at his self-created genre.
The album is a diverse affair, with several different influences sprinkled throughout. With the opening track, the listener is introduced to the atmosphere Petite Noir wishes his audience to experience. It’s a dark, brooding track with tightly laid-down beats. Yet there’s someone saying “life is beautiful” in the background as these dark instrumentals swirl around menacingly. From there, horns swell on “Best” in a triumphant song while “Freedom” has Ilunga shouting the track name over another tight drum beat. “Seventeen” employs some synth-pop while “Just Breathe” might revoke some memories of Joy Division. The title track is an interesting French rap over smooth production and whooshing synths.
The African influences are mostly heard on the back end of the album, starting with the blues-y “Colour” and the pitter-patter of the beats on “Down”. Each of these different sounds are executed confidently and with deft restraint, not letting any one sound take over the album. While it can make the album feel scattered at times, it’s clear that Petite Noir knows what he’s going for in terms of sound. It almost approaches the genre of ‘world music’, yet it feels like a modern take on it. Petite Noir has stated that, since he’s lived in so many places over his life, no real place feels like home to him. That’s clear on La Vie Est Belle / Life is Beautiful. The sounds here are so diverse and far-reaching that it truly feels like Petite Noir is taking you on a trip. “I’m just talking about change/Everything wiped away” Ilunga sings at the beginning of “Colour”. This mentality is what drives the album; Petite Noir uses this freedom to craft an album free of genre-restrictions or hesitation.
VERDICT:
8.0 / 10.0
Following his promising EP, Petite Noir releases a debut album that is a stunning effort. The influences that are heard on this album are diverse; most of them are employed in a confident and brilliant manner. The album can feel a bit overwhelming at times due to the sheer amount of different sounds the span the LP’s eleven tracks. But La Vie Est Belle / Life is Beautiful is an excellent debut album from a promising artist that is sure to have much to say over the next coming years.
Eminent Press 