NEW ALBUM | Isolde Lasoen - My Kind of Drama

Isolde Lasoen new album ‘My Kind of Drama’

New single and video ‘Echo En Toi’

Drummer, singer, songwriter, front lady, bandleader, ... not many artists have the talent to shine on different levels and with a distinct signature style. Isolde Lasoen has been the queen of her own universe for over a decade, making pop music sound cinematic and letting melancholy sparkle. On her third solo album ‘My Kind of Drama’, she adds a layer of glitter to her sound in ten songs that fuses baroque pop, retro futuristic synths and French touch.

After taking her first steps as a solo artist with EP L’Inconnu (2014) and debut album Cartes Postales (2017), it was sophomore album Oh Dear (2023) that rightfully claimed her spot on the world map of music. Amazing singles like Douce Mélancolie, Bed & Breakfast and title track Oh Dear gathered a lot of air play both in Belgium and abroad (BBC, FIP, KCRW, ...), and the icing on the cake was being included on the compilation album of influential music connoisseur Somewhere Soul.

While Oh Dear enriched Isolde’s sound with influences from vintage soundtrack, psychedelia, French seventies and even prog rock, ‘My Kind of Drama’ gravitates more towards electronica, manifesting her love for French touch: more synths, unexpected chord progressions and a modern, glossy production, all while keeping everything poppy, melancholic, cool and arty. Eclectic chic meets ciné pop.

In the true DIW style that defines Isolde Lasoen, she wrote and composed all songs, created the arrangements and co-produced the album. For production and mixing she turned to French maestro Michael Declerck (known for his work with Kavinsky, Justice, Jungle, Daft Punk, ...), who fell head over heels for her demos. Top musicians were invited to the studio, adding extra textures, ideas and colors to the songs. Live instruments and vintage synthesizers got a retro 70s or 80s sound, the arrangements are playful, the sounds chic and the drums snappy. Songs are in English and French, or instrumental, while overall production and mixing make everything sound très French.

Opening song ‘Queen’s Time’ sets the tone: a melancholic melody, understated beat, synths and repetitive, rich orchestration saying: Isolde is ready to shine. She finds herself at a point in her life asking herself: what do I still want, and more importantly, what definitely not anymore? A theme recurring in penultimate and tender track ‘Good Girl’. ‘Echo En Toi’ is full-blown poppy and funky, with flirty, positive vibes and a housy piano break. ‘Egoland’ is layered and up-tempo 80s synth pop with a touch of ABBA, while the sexy groove on ‘Thief Of Joy’ sends out Sparks vibes. ‘Perception’ and ‘Love Language’ are more cinematic, dark and hypnotizing, followed by the 70s psych pop of ‘Nothing Is Forever’ with open, jazzy drums. On closing track ‘Supraclavicular’ Isolde pulls out all stops for a bit of a ‘moment’ between her and her drum kit in a trippy song about freedom, letting go and being a bit crazy.

The whole album is about self-knowledge, diving deeper into your past and taking stock, but of course also about love. In the instrumental ‘Love Language’ it sounds bombastic and erotic, while ‘Echo En Toi’ spotlights love’s mysterious and adventurous side. And obviously there is room for drama, like on the title track, building up to a climax with driving drums and exciting harmonies. ‘My Kind of Drama’ is an album that celebrates the emotion of drama in all its shapes. An album that allows Isolde Lasoen to be dramatic sans gêne, like a queen in her own musical universe.