Los Angeles, California musician, singer/songwriter & video producer Genevieve Artadi following up her Brainfeeder Records debut with her 3rd studio album. Known for being the vocalist of the duo KNOWER with producer Louis Cole, she would go on to make her solo debut with Genevieve Lalala in the spring of 2015 a couple months prior to my high school graduation. Flying Lotus would eventually sign her to Brainfeeder distributed by Ninja Tune & the sophomore effort Dizzy Strange Summer would become more positively received, following it up a few years later with Forever Forever.
After the “A Romantic Interlude Will Soon Come Your Way” intro, the first song “Visionary” begins by crossing over elements of art pop, psychedelic pop, progressive pop, jazz pop & jazz fusion for a celebration of love whereas the title track embraces a Stereolab vibe singing about how her mind stays chasing. “I Know”brings in a mini-moog & a guitar telling this person she went so far & changed herself for them leading into “Message to Self” takes inspiration from Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson making an audio voice memo for herself.
“Nice” ends the 1st half of Forever Forever singing about self-assurance over throwing it back to the days of 80s pop music just before “Black Shirts” by KNOWER addresses a person who’s absence is her malfunction blending house & jazz music. “To Tell How I Adore” has it’s moments reminiscent of Gentle Giant promising this person to express the way she cherishes them while “Plate” brings some incredible drumming to the picture singing about making some meaning out of her night.
The song ‘From Avalanche’ uses metaphors to depict the struggles & challenges that come with a relationship to wind down the album’s final moments while “Change Stays” sings about embracing the inevitable. “Watch for the View” however spends the final 3 minutes finding the inner strength to overcome all the challenges of her life, instrumentally feeling like a cross between Stereolab as well as Joni Mitchell & the late Frank Zappa.
Listening to jazz’s great from the late Duke Ellington to the late Gil Evans & the late Miles Davis in pursuit of a creative spark, Genevieve Artadi returns after expressing who she is outside of her side projects during the COVID-19 lockdowns minimizing the progressive pop influences of her previous full-length to expand her art pop style successfully exploring jazz fusion, nu jazz, jazz pop & psychedelic pop to express the love she has for all the people who’re in her life.
Score: 4/5
Keep up with @legendswill_never_die on Instagram & @LegendsllLiveOn on Twitter for the best music reviews weekly!
Legends Will Never Die 