Living With The Moon. Karamelien

Duo Karamelien, Léanie Kaleido and Mark Foster, presented its debut album last month and now finds it way to the pages of WoNoBlog. This may not surprise our avid readers, who will have encountered several singles in our weekly post on recent singles. For others this may be a completely new name.

The introduction is justified as Karamelien presents a delightful form of pop that will enthuse those who like their pop included with a more serious and grown up undertone. The music is a mix of influences spanning several decades, from 1960s to trip hop. The lyrics show a life lived with the highs and deeper lows and everything in between. From searching for rainbows, battling dark thoughts and come up again. Léanie Kaleido leads her listeners through it all. The music shares the moods, yet remains serious always.

Kaleido and Foster are lifelong friends who decided to make music together. Multi-instrumentalist Kaleido plays most instruments, with Fisher playing, mostly, guitar. There are a few guests playing bass or piano and Kaleido's late father's, Top Topham, guitar playing is sampled into 'Ascension Heights'. Except for most bass parts, Lee Pomeroy and Morris 'Mo' Pleasure in 'Ascension Heights', this is all played by the duo. The music shows their age in a very positive way. There's no pretending being something else and this is one of the graces of Living With The Moon.

The album starts with the title track and a previous single. The choice to start the album with this song is totally the correct one. 'Living With The Moon' has a great pop feel, an oh so nice chorus that everyone seeing a show by Karamelien will want to sing along to and that kind of bittersweet attraction that makes the song unavoidable. Almost a song that could have participated in the Eurovision Songcontest, once upon a time that is, and may have come a long way. At the same time you will notice that Karamelien was not content with the song working on one level. A counter vocal melody is there and then some more as well. This a beautiful and mature song.

Promo photo: Nick Thompson

The already mentioned 'Ascension Heights' comes next and is a Philly Soul track with trip hop influences worked in. Léonie Kaleido's voice works really well with this soul pop track, where the music is spread out like peanut butter on a slice of bread. Listen to that little guitar melody that keeps returning in combination with that synth sound to understand what I mean. The music is so smooth and sophisticated.

'Digital Imogen' tells the tale of social media, how a person cannot relate to reality anymore. "I don't believe the mirror...I'm going to smash the mirror". A topic that I cannot relate to. For me the two worlds are still totally separate. Not so for many young people today. Again, a so smooth flowing pop song.

This is the story of Living With The Moon. From here on I could only present you with a similar story to each of the six songs that follow. There's no need. Every single one has a special touch somewhere in them. Léonie Kaleido is a sophisticated songsmith who together with her musical partner Mark Foster has made a beautiful album.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Living With The Moon here:

https://karamelien.bandcamp.com/album/living-with-the-moon-2