Florian Lunaire is releasing a series of EPs based on the four seasons with each one being recorded in a different location in accordance to the time of year. Autumn and Winter will come in due course but he has now released a compilation of both the Spring and Summer collections as one.
What you get from these two separate set of songs is the makings of a very talented songwriter. ‘Summering Here’ is almost the perfect tune for this type of year – the piano is upbeat and enthusiastic, there are handclaps in abundance and the melodies are all joyful and happy. One would even dare to say it sounds like the work of Neil Hannon at his most cheery. ‘Forever Young’ is equally as toe-tappingly good.
His voice, whilst in tune and fine most of the time, can sometimes come across as a bit too raspy as illustrated in the otherwise lovely ‘The Persistence of Memory’ but the rest of that song is probably the most gorgeous piece of music on the EP, which makes the shortcomings all too forgiveable.
Despite any flaws, there is enough talent on show to hints at the beginnings of a very promising career. This is an EP that is exactly what it says on the tin and you wonder how much of a departure any future recordings will exhibit. For now though, Lunaire has got this breezy pop business down to a tee.
Words: Max Raymond