Canadian singer/songwriters are having a good spring, and out of Montreal, this statement applies particularly to one Sébastien Lacombe, a veteran player whose new single and music video “Gold in Your Soul” is capturing the attention of critics around the continent at the moment. Lacombe’s conservative approach the guitar melodies blended with his deeply enigmatic poetry give “Gold in Your Soul” a very easygoing, classic pop feel with a uniquely Canadian folk finish, and whether you’ve been following his career since the beginning or are just now discovering his music for the very first time, it’s definitely an accessible listen at any rate.
URL: https://www.sebastienlacombe.com/
Everything in this track revolves around the verses Lacombe dispenses with ease from behind the microphone, and I would even make the argument that this is one of the most poetic releases to join his discography in the last ten years. There’s so much emphasis on both his execution and the content of his statements here, but scarcely is there an instance where we’re asked to split our attention between the lyrics and the music disproportionately; on the contrary, “Gold in Your Soul” is produced with the kind of attention to detail that makes it easy for us to enjoy all of its many-splendored components without getting overwhelmed or distracted by particularly glowing elements in the mix.
Both the single and the video were mastered as to appeal to casual pop fans and serious folk aficionados alike, and though the music video for “Gold in Your Soul” is quite an enjoyable watch, it wouldn’t be nearly as stimulating were it not backed with the exquisite soundtrack that it is here. Sébastien Lacombe is a very expressive singer/songwriter, and truth be told, he doesn’t even need the frills featured in this latest release to make an emotional impact with his audience.
Compositionally speaking, “Gold in Your Soul” is actually a little more involved than I had envisioned Lacombe being capable of penning at this stage of his career, which isn’t meant to dismiss his credibility as a longtime player in the Montreal scene. Often times, when an artist has been as active as this one has, the distance between the experimental attitude that gave their music appeal and the comfortability which comes with following a winning formula becomes too much for both critics and devoted listeners to contend with, but in my opinion, Lacombe is aging with his medium better than any of us could have expected him to.
APPLE MUSIC: https://music.apple.com/us/album/fly/1500940570?i=1500940574&ign-gact=3&ls=1
Sébastien Lacombe continues to surprise his admirers and accredited ears in the music industry alike with the release of this latest single and its companion video, and if you ask me, he’s going to be one of the more interesting artists in his scene to watch in 2020. Judging from the ambitiousness he’s brought with him into the studio for this latest dispatch, it’s hard to see the momentum his career is presently enjoying starting to slow anytime soon, and while “Gold in Your Soul” is a new highpoint for this singer/songwriter, I doubt it will be his creative peak.
Kim Muncie