Lou Doillon – Soliloquy review

Secret Meeting score: 73

by Philip Moss

During the writing process for her third album, Lou Doillon sent an unsolicited message through Instagram to Cat Power. Fast forward and Doillon’s stab in the dark has resulted in It’s You – the centrepiece of Soliloquy – a track so good that it could slot seamlessly onto Power’s stunning 2018 Wanderer LP.

Doillon – who is no stranger to collaboration – has previously performed with the likes of Jarvis Cocker, John Cale and John Grant. But it makes total sense that Doillon would seek out Power for this collection as her influence looms large. In fact, if you were passed a pair of headphones and told second song, The Joke, was the new Cat Power single, you’d ask no questions.

Across the record, Doillon employs four different producers, resulting in an eclectic affair. Opener, Brother, grows into a sexy strut. All These Nights, which built upon a rigid drum machine and spluttering synths, is most similar to the work of her half sister, Charlotte Gainsbourg. Lead single, Burn, buzzes by with New Order-inspired guitars and looping keys. While closer, Snowed In, finds Doillon at the piano for the record’s most contemplative moment – one of a number that make this album well worth investing time in.

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