Psych-folk duo La Nouvelle Musique to release self-titled debut album via Fruits de Mer Records.

Release Date: 1st August 2025

Label: Fruits de Mer Records

Format: Digital / Vinyl

BUILDING ANTICIPATION

London-based duo, La Nouvelle Musique, have been building anticipation for their debut album for several years, with their recent EP, Premonitions, serving as a tantalising prelude.

In their self-titled debut, the wife-and-husband duo delve into enchanting tracks that predominantly explore themes of space and time. The song New Blood exemplifies the album’s overarching message, poignantly noting, “…the second-hand is ticking time away.”

There isn’t a cultural drive towards psych-fuelled folk but there’s no lost cause here as the recent rise in lyrically-strong folk partnerships shows no signs of stopping now as earnest song-writing has the tendency to push back against any musical trend. The draw of the album largely rests between the poetic relationship of Joanna and Ian; there’s something there that will progress their future output. 

NICO-INSPIRED EPHEMERAL GATECRASH

Album opener, The Mirror, presents an exquisite opening track. Joanna’s vocals soar above the harmonics of the strings, complemented by lovely bass notes that balance the highs. The two-part harmony adds depth and pairs well with intricate guitar playing. This song is where the well-received comparisons to Nico are most fitting. The aforementioned New Blood offers a change of pace with influences from the birth era of psych-folk of the late 1960s. There’s a place for a track like this on an early afternoon slot of a major UK festival. It’d standout as a great live track irrespective of venue. 

CONTROLLED SIMPLICITY 

The lyrics of Ballad of a Broken Wing are meticulously crafted, showcasing the storytelling prowess characteristic of a robust folk song as it progresses. The track ambitiously incorporates cinematic elements with brass, drums, percussion, and piano. However, it ultimately falls short of being truly remarkable, as its crescendo feels subdued. Despite this, the song serves as a nod to the duo’s potential, featuring a well-structured chorus, a luxurious middle 8, and haunting verses.

Following this, the more traditional folk track and Sandy Denny cover Crazy Lady Blues stands out for its simplicity. While it may lack the grandeur of its predecessor, it compensates by highlighting Joanna’s vocal control and is a beautiful nod to the original. Similarly, Spirit Level focuses on vocal delivery with some beautifully scaffolded transitions between verses and chorus. The harmony between Joanna and Ian is strongest here. It offers a strong track to end the first half of the album. 

CINEMATIC SCORES AND COMPELLING RIFF

Time Ticks Slowly kicks-off arguably the strongest cluster of songs on the album. Again, the production quality of the vocals is excellent here. Pus, the added guitar slide noise really adds to the richness in the layers of the song. The multi-instrumental psych-fuelled nuances here are delightful. This track again conveys the clear reflections of time. In Catalonia, a track that should be regarded as the strongest on the album, there’s a definite darker shift. A metronomic guitar and seductive vocals, with lyrics to match, add to the euphoric and cinematic lift to the second part of the album.

If rock-folk exists, it lives here. The guitar riff highlights a distinctively British-rock influence and perfectly produced percussion brings this stand-out track to a wonderful conclusion. In ‘Polestar’ the existential themes continue and it’s another harmonising opportunity for the pair. This is a song of musical maturity as there is a pull to once again lean into the cinematic. However, the restraint offers a more compelling and haunting collaboration between the two. 

…AND AT THE END IT’S INTIMATE FRAGILITY

Not dissimilar to the previous Ballad of a Broken Wing, there is a track of potential here. Although individually the instrumental work is crisp and the vocals distinct, there is an uneasy feeling of competition for domination of the sound. These tracks which ebb and flow certainly have a place within the repertoire of the pair: instead, there needs to be a clear focus leading the musicality of the track. It’s more that the potential of the track gets lost here within the complexities of the crescendoing between the layers. 

Forest Fire arrives with Ian taking the lead vocal and it’s a cleverly-considered addition to the set. The raw, less refined and more fragile vocals contrast strikingly against the ephemeral vocals that have dominated for the previous 30 minutes. What works best here is the fragility of the vocal fit alongside the lyrical pessimism of the track, whilst the instrumental work suggests a more optimistic close to the album. 

As Joanna takes back the vocal reins in Epitaph there is plenty to be optimistic about as the earnest and searing vocal talent draws the compelling album to its delicate conclusion. The direction of instrumentalism here suggests there is plenty more to explore in the reserves of the duo; there’s more time on their side than the general themes of the album suggest. 

La Nouvelle Musique online: Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram

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