Claude Lombard

LP version. Sommor Records present the first reissue of Claude Lombard's Chante, originally released in 1969. Presented in the original French edition gatefold artwork. Produced by Roland Kluger (Chakachas, Free Pop Electronic Concept), arranged by Willy Albymoor and recorded at the legendary Madeleine Studios in Brussels. "If you know the 1968 Eurovision song, or the TV kids cartoons tunes which Claude Lombard sang, it will be hard to believe what's happening there... Beautiful pop songs sung in French by this Belgian maverick (who worked with Luciano Berio) swirling upon wonderful '60s abstract-expressionism orchestrations: chimes and ondes Martenots among lovely dream basslines and organ drifting, with a dreamy use of echoes, reverbs and sometimes electronics. There are incredibly beautiful songs here, and probably one of the unique examples of French songs with really gorgeous, untypical sound work, closer to some UK and US proto-psychedelic orchestration in pop world. It was by the time a complete commercial flop... A shame of course considering the quality of compositions offered here by Claude Lombard herself, who have no shame to feel if one compares the elegance of her work to an inspired and electronic version of Michel Legrand... Any serious fan of Broadcast or Stereolab will fall in love forever with this true secret gem, to say the least... And no need to mention the kaleidoscopic design of the cover, mesmerizing and perfectly illustrating the content. Masterpiece here? Hell yes! And you can forget about the cartoon tunes of your lazy childhood..." --Emmanuel Holterbach

Insert with liner notes by pop connoisseur Don Sicalíptico. RIYL: Stereolab, Broadcast, White Noise, Delia Derbyshire, Astrud Gilberto, Roger Webb Sound.

"Lombard’s debut is an absolutely gorgeous, startling document of melancholic chanson psychedelia that staggeringly foreshadows the eerie, incorporeal sci–fi pop of Stereolab and, more specifically, early Broadcast by about 30 years." – Other Music

"From David Vorhaus’ White Noise to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop sound experiments created by Delia Derbyshire. From Roger Webb Sound and his Vocal Patterns to the French library music of Editions Montparnasse 2000..." – Don Sicalíptico.