Brother and sister pump up the volume…
[Video]
[6.14]
Jessica Doyle: Things that warm my ignorant Francophile heart: the existence of a Belgian hip-hop artist with the nom de plume Roméo Elvis; Roméo Elvis’s butt wiggle; Roméo Elvis’s voice; Angèle’s voice, pitched dark enough to let her know which side of the song’s “but just be happy!” debate she’s on; the different shapes, sizes, ages, and skin tones of the skeptical beach-goers; the beach-goers all being credited in the YouTube notes; the “I Am Brussels” assertion snuck in via what must be a three-year-old issue of Euro Dragon News; the inclusion of a Chinese-language Brussels-based newspaper; that “Tout Oublier” is continuing an argument that goes all the way back to Candide; that I am not the first person to come up with the Candide comparison. Is the song, warm as its production is, memorable enough to sustain all this love? Maybe not, but it’s hard to care.
[7]
Alfred Soto: Midtempo French pop whose synths do the emoting while the mismatched vocalizers hang back.
[4]
Joshua Minsoo Kim: Arguably the most enjoyable song from either of these siblings, “Tout Oublier” stands out amongst Angèle’s other quaint synthpop tracks because of the contrast between its two vocalists. Angèle only provided harmonies last time, so this makes this track feel more collaborative and, consequently, lively.
[6]
Iain Mew: It’s almost as light and fluffy sounding as light and fluffy can get. That could mean nothing-y, but the contrasting verses give something to hold onto in following its ascent on a thousand tiny synth-bounce steps.
[7]
Ramzi Awn: Sonically, the doubling up of octaves is the most interesting thing about “Tout Oublier.” And thank goodness for that. According to Angèle, sadness is overrated, and happiness isn’t complicated. It’s a lovely sentiment, and long overdue. As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss. Or more specifically: forgetting is bliss. It may not be as easy as it sounds, but it’s sure worth the reminder.
[7]
Iris Xie: The flute-like sound in the back that weaves back and forth between Angèle and Roméo Elvis’s is lovely and helps wrap up their message of the chorus of forgetting all expectations in order to find actual happiness that is not beholden to others. There’s a soothing, relaxed melancholy and reassured comfort to this song that I enjoy, that gives the experience of the two singers finding for themselves what will cause them to rise into their own beings. I think the last time I felt like this, I was with some friends and we took a sunset walk. Coming to a park bench, I laid my head down for a little bit on my friend’s shoulder, and woke up around half an hour later to realize that my friend didn’t budge at all, and my friends were still very nicely chatting, but carefully not waking me. That’s stability and comfort, when you expect it the least.
[7]
Thomas Inskeep: Light, perky pop, akin to Robyn-lite, with Angèle singing (I wish her voice wasn’t quite so cutesy-sounding) and Roméo Elvis kinda-rapping, kinda-singing. They mesh well, the track is cotton candy, and I’ll likely forget I ever heard this thirty minutes from now.
[5]