After having delighted us with their video clip « Highway », Fortune is once again at the top of the electronic music news with the teaser clip of his debut album "Staring at the ice melt", which has just been released last week. Still evolving in a psychedelic world, this music clip offers a catchy music with new wave influences with synths. After the consecration the French guys from Nantes : Pony Pony Run Run for « Out of control », that we reviewed, West of France is once again on the front of the French electronic music scene, with this explosive trio.

 Fortune - Staring at the ice melt

In 2007, Fortune became famous with the release of his first maxi with four pop/rock bombs that make us dance till dawn. 3 years later, the French trio then released his first album. The group, includes Lionel Stone, from the hip hop duo's Abstrackt Keal Agram (with Tepr known for his remix of "A cause des garcons” from Yelle), knows a growing success with their three singles released in the recent months. There were "Bully", "Highway" and now "Gimme" that hit global charts. Indeed, their tracks are playlisted all around the world notably on KCRW, a mythical radio at Los Angeles. They are also particularly supported by DJs and producers like Yuksek and Brodinski.

This album offers an enlightened often dark groove music, that was produced by Devin Pierrick who had previously worked for Phoenix, Alex Gopher or Cassius. The whole album has been mixed by a man well known for the community: Stephane "Alf" Briat, who has worked among others for Air and Sebastien Tellier. The actual basis of the trio was completed too with Arnaud Roulin from Poni Hoax (synth bass), Jean Thevenin (percussionist) and Melody Prochet (aka My Bee's Garden) for the choirs.

Concerning track by track, here is the review.
1. Nice opening with "Under the Sun", which gives the tone for the art direction.
2. Our favorite track is already the second track "Gimme”, punchy and fatally dynamic. Nice work on the voice.
3. Then there is “Bully” with big electro samples and drums, quiet heavy. Huge production mixing perfectly rock and electronic music.
4. There is also "At night”, with a sort of Vitalic sample, but worse! For cons, the voice is still as effective and clear.
5. "Since you're gone", gives the album a more pop/rock vibe.
6 & 7. "Highway Part 1" takes us into a world far from our daily lives, where notes of synthesizers make us dream, before giving birth to the electrifying track "Highway". There are some beautiful harmonies in it.
8. "Nothin” looks as Cassius’ rhythm, at the beginning and then uses what made the success of Phoenix, with a good bass and sweet vocals. It is a simple and effective way to unleash many crowds. Really pop!
9. "Celebrate" attracted our attention, with a sort of underground distorted sample which will come rapidly to your brain.
10. "Venus" is not really interesting. Next one please!
11. “Fancy role" starts off to wheel, but we begin to feel a slowdown in the album, which was more effective on the beginning.
12. "Poison", which concluded this opus is a kind of balade without a kick but only a voice with synthes quiet in a 80's style on some parts, but more rough on the end.

Overall, the album is good, but little by little faltering. Punchy on the start, "Staring at the ice melt" becomes less and less in an electronic world as the tracks pass. The beginning mixes electro and rock music, and then more pop rock atmosphere. Choose your side now!
Ultimately, the album offers a completed job, which shows how the French electronic music scene can rebirth in the line of Phoenix and Air. Just like their predecessors, French have first success abroad, then later in France, unfortunately....

Tracklisting of Fortune - Staring at the ice melt
1. Fortune - Under the sun
2. Fortune - Gimme
3. Fortune - Bully
4. Fortune - At night
5. Fortune - Since you're gone
6. Fortune - Highway (Part 1)
7. Fortune - Highway
8. Fortune - Nothin
9. Fortune - Celebrate
10. Fortune - Venus
11. Fortune - Fancy role
12. Fortune - Poison

 Actualites Electroniques Exclusivity: FORTUNE - remix collection

Phoenix - 1901 (Fortune Remix)
Rubin Steiner - Another Record Story (Fortune remix)
Axis Riverboy - Carry On (Fortune Remix)
Pony Pony Run Run - Hey You! (Fortune Remix)
MTMT - I Am The Sound (Fortune Remix)