Music > Album Reviews

Papooz - Night Sketches

09/03/19

Papooz were born out of the Sorbonne in Paris. Initially zine-writing literature students they bumped into each other at a student party, and then went on to form Papooz. Night Sketches is their second LP effort and despite the focus on post-club Paris, it retains the sparkling gloss of Green Juice. It is definitely the older, braver and less polite brother of their debut, yet it is still obviously related. They leisurely drift through the tracks with Gainsbourgian laissez faire philosophy. The sound pushes past the in-vogue soundwave it appears to be riding – the record is littered with interesting late 60s chord progressions and bulbous basslines.

Stand-out track Danger To Myself combines unexpected chord changes and pensive self-deprecation in a way that walks the line between parody and weight. While ‘Bubbles’ paints a picture of a bleak bathtub reflection to the frequently returning (and humorous) words of ‘I wish I was a Beatle, this would be much more simple’

Tracks such as Armindo’s Midnight Dilemma are bathed in spaced-out haze and soft 70s experimentation. The track swings between light psych-crashes and lounge-y guitar which engulfs a strutting bassline. It eventually descends into a jazz-esque guitar solo, invoking Wes Montgomery.

The faux-jazz parts can be irksome at times, but it is nonetheless pleasant. The record still sits quite firmly in the realm of pop-music, but Papooz are clearly keen on investing themselves across time and genre.

Undecided is a good example of a track rich with melodies and rhythms. It begins with a crashing of percussion and guitar doused in vibrato. A catchy melody carries the verse before building into an addictive rhythmic vocal line which eventually reaches a climax and returns to the verse motif.

In this record, Papooz demonstrate that they are unafraid of flamboyancy and derivation, and show they can make something interesting and fun. The nostalgia machine feels a bit thick at times, but the album still contains some engaging pop and is perfect for a fuzzy evening listen.

8/10