Two Love

Le Volume Courbe is the musical vehicle for French born, London based musician Charlotte Marionneau. Charlotte has released two previous albums, I Killed My Best Friend in 2005 and I Wish Dee Dee Ramone Was Here With Me in 2015. Now there's a new album, Planet Ping Pong, eleven songs recorded while Charlotte was undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. The cancer diagnosis led to a burst of creativity, it became 'a vital thing' (Charlotte's words). There are some big names on the album too- Noel Gallagher plays on the single Two Love and the late Terry Hall sings a duet with Charlotte on a cover of Daniel Johnston's Mind Distorted. Two very Bagging Area adjacent names also crop up- Mat Ducasse/ Matty Skylab and Chris Rotter both appear as co- writers. 

Planet Ping Pong is out on Stereolab's Duophonic label. Stereolab's 60s experimental art- pop is a good reference point as are some Gallic singers and sounds, Serge and Jane, Brigitte, Francoise et al. There are hints of the songs of Broadcast and Syd Barrett too, some baroque pop and nods to the likes of Silver Apples. Two Love is a gem, with shuffly drums, ambient noise and a prodding bassline and Charlotte's very Gallic vocal. Noel plays piano, sounding as far from Oasis as he ever has. Primal Scream's Andrew Innes is in there too, on programming. There are samples of ping pong balls, bursts of shaker and the occasional miaow. Tres bon.