Album Review/ Jazz : Alexandre LAUGIER’s ‘What a dream it is’

Alexandre LAUGIER is a French artist, pianist and composer. His soundscapes expand with so much feeling, whimsy and soft spontaneity. If you want to be transported back to the retro era, with jazz clubs and glamorous blues vocalists, then you’re at the right place.

His latest release is ‘What a dream it is’, an album in which you can experience the romance and romanticism of the artist’s style. It’s fresh and light and full of playfulness. Even melancholic moments are swirled into a dreamy spell. Floating away into it makes for quite the lilting journey. So go with it. 

The title track opens the album. What a dream it is. Informed by theatrics and soft histrionics, there’s a little bit of an acapella, some performative instrumentals and playful flows. It’s jazz and blues. He lets it play out spontaneously, keeps it loose and full of possibility. One idea leading you into the next, and then to a whole new space. The saxophone’s smooth texture encloses the listener in a warm atmosphere, consuming all the senses and changing the mood. 

There’s a lot of dynamism in the track. So much variance and frolic. In tracks like ‘Get Lost in Your Arms’ and ‘Tell Me’, you’ll see the artist’s theatrical flair coming out. He allows the stories to play out, accentuating it with instrumentals just as talkative. In many ways, it’s such a generous album. Alexandre gives so much of his craft to each song. He leaves spaces open for the listener to inhabit and make their own. 

‘Balade en Bord de Seine’ is an instrumental river that flows through the album. With curving and curling flute melodies, fresh instrumental dalliance, all sheathed in retro blues, it’s such a beautiful composition. The instrumentals draw the listener into the feeling. It’s effortless but earnest and evocative. If you like tracks that transport you to its world, then you’ll absolutely love this instrumental ballad. 

Bleeding out of this ballad are tracks like ‘I Should Have’, ‘Fallen Star’ and ‘A Soul I Won’t Forget’. These tracks are paced softly, with the romance of time. The artist gives these tracks so much space to come into the feeling. Pausing, reflecting, they lift into melancholy, and disperse as if they have all the time in the world. They are the perfect romantic tracks, because their instrumental breeze seems to blow endlessly. A kind of romance and love that is not bothered by pragmatism or reality. It’s an ideal romance, building softly into the soul. Listen Now!

The album is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music!

You can listen to ‘What a dream it is’ by Alexandre LAUGIER here -