Barefoot On Diamond Road. Amber Arcades

In 2023 a lot has changed for Amber Arcades. Not just a new album, with decidedly different music, on a new record label but also a new relation, a new town and another view on being a musician. It's years since the world heard new music by Amber Arcades and in that period of time a lot happened. After a string of singles, it is time for Barefoot On Diamond Road to be revealed in its entirety.

After a show in Amsterdam, following her previous album 'European Heartbreak, years before Covid, Annelot de Graaf, who is Amber Arcades, told me that perhaps her new album would be totally dance oriented. This totally surprised me, as I had not associated this kind of music with her. Barefoot On Diamond Road has nothing to do with dance. During lockdown she started working on new tracks and they came out far more introspective than before. Out went loud guitars, as a starting point and in came strings, electronics that, admittedly, could be inspired by dance in a few songs, softer rhythms and atmospherics.

The album is not so much a cesure as change of direction. Amber Arcades explores electronics, dreampop and a form of alternative pop that simply invites to listen. Her voice is a defining point of course but used in a far more sensual way. Listen to 'Contain'. The song is dreamy, Annelot is singing in a seductive way but the dark synth sounds underneath the song suggest that the seduction could be by a Siren or the Lorelei. There lies danger underneath the calm waters 'Contain' presents.

What also changed is that there no hiding on Barefoot On Diamond Road. This is Amber Arcades. De Graaf's voice is fully upfront, singing this is who I am. Take it or leave it. She is pleasing herself, while giving away more of herself in the process. It is my impression she is not, primarily, trying to please me and you, although in my case the outcome is that she most certainly does.

This approach to her work, perhaps, allowed her to create and release a sonic experiment like 'Life Is Coming Home' and make the extremely slow songs like e.g. the next song on the album, 'Through'. Bubbly sounds, plucked strings and atmospheric sounds precede a more traditional band sound that is added to the rest. This change is so unexpected and because of it the more impressive.

From experiment to perfect pop in 'True Love'. How does a song become a hit these days? I have no clue, as I hear one here. The dance, as in The Stone Roses, like rhythm, a pretty and seductive melody, the post Gainsbourg (Serge) as you can also hear with Goldfrapp and his daughter Charlotte and her sister Lou Doillon. Mixing The Stone Roses with French sigh girls was something I did not see coming.

After all the dreamy songs, the loud explosion of 'I'm Not There' is another surprise. By comparison it sounds like Amber Arcades' loudest song ever. Finally, everyone is allowed to go full out. No one needed any prodding to do so.

The only thing I can hold against Amber Arcades' latest, is that I am not always in the mood for it. It does not get to me under any circumstances. When I am however, it totally wins me over from the very beginning.

If Barefoot On Diamond Road is anything, it is surprising. Full disclosure, at first listen, I did not "get" it. Later, I certainly did and the surprises just keep coming. There still seems to be something left to discover, something I did not hear before or did not notice before, as I was focusing on something else in the song.

No matter how different this album is, Amber Arcades, again, delivered an album that is good. In six weeks she's playing my hometown. Ice and weather permitting, expect me there.

Wout de Natris

You can listen to and order Barefoot On Diamond Road here:

https://amberarcades.bandcamp.com/album/barefoot-on-diamond-road