Cœur de Pirate Returns With Dramatic "En Cas De Tempête, Ce Jardin Sera Fermé."

French Pop is dominated by a few figures, and Cœur de Pirate is one of them. While she's been largely absent from music over the last few years since the release of 2013's Roses (due to other commitments), Cœur de Pirate has returned with her dramatic new album En Cas De Tempête, Ce Jardin Sera Fermé.

A lot of traditionally French sounds come through in En Cas De Tempête, Ce Jardin Sera Fermé., such as the tantalizing and mysterious 'Malade' which oozes with noir flair. 'Combustible' keeps things sensual with a lot of funk in the instrumental, just as 'Je Veux Rentrer' does earlier on. The music tends to either be fun or moody, but a majority of the meat of the record follows the fun side. 'Dans La Nuit' gets really poppy, with a feature from Loud that gets the energy going. The strong bassline of 'Prémonition' brings a more uplifting vibe with it, while 'Carte Blanche' provides a warm and upbeat vibe towards the end.

The slower tracks, while fewer in numbers than the more energetic ones, are the key to the record. The fun songs are sandwiched at the start and end by the dramatic ones, providing for an interesting dichotomy. 'Somnambule' introduces the record with beautiful pianos, which underlie Cœur de Pirate's dark melodies that encapsulate the track. There's a lot of tension between the two, as if the words are fighting against their subject. 'De Honte et De Pardon' closes the record less painfully but more calmingly. It almost feels like En Cas De Tempête, Ce Jardin Sera Fermé. is the span of a night, beginning with doubt and insecurity before letting herself free and realizing at the end she can be herself and be happy with that.

Cœur de Pirate returns with her dramatic En Cas De Tempête, Ce Jardin Sera Fermé., facing insecurities with a new light. It's an uplifting album with a sweet message behind it, and a big return for Cœur de Pirate.

Favorite Track: Somnambule

Least Favorite Track: Carte Blanche

Rating: 75 / 100

Stream or buy En Cas De Tempête, Ce Jardin Sera Fermé. on Apple Music, and follow our 2018 Playlist on Spotify: