We’d somehow managed to miss this one, which was released in early June, but as it reflects a summer that will soon come to an end it is appropriate to give it a whirl now.
Flowers of Ruin. Sounds like an ultra dystopian death metal band.
In fact it is a duo formed in 2023 by two Swedish indie notables, Mikael Furugärde and Tove Leander. However, while this debut single, ‘Chérie Luv’ might have been born in Sweden it was fashioned somewhere in France in the 1960s or 70s.
‘Chérie Luv’ is, according to Mikael Furugärde, “a serenade, a love song to Sylvie Vartan and everyone else who has been my light in times of sorrow, boredom, adversity, and despair. In other words, everyday life. Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”
In case you don’t know (I didn’t) Sylvie Vartan is a Bulgarian-born French singer and actress. She is known as one of the most productive and tough-sounding yé-yé artists (mostly prominent in 1960’s France, the French Merseybeat if you like). Her performances often featured elaborate show-dance choreography, and she made many appearances on French and Italian TV.
Accordingly it has Made in France stamped through it like Danish through bacon. From the opening bars you find yourself in St Tropez or Cannes, hanging out with the jet set and hoping to catch a glimpse of Brigitte through the hordes of paparazzi.
More notably still it has all the hallmarks of the likes of Serge Gainsbourg in Mikael Furugärde’s spoken vocal – cool, laid back, reassuring, yet dominating. The voice of someone who might have moved on from experimenting with France Gall and Jane Birkin (I won’t explain what I mean by that, you can always Google it) to chronicling his unrequited love for someone far removed.
Their debut album, called ‘Flowers of Ruin’ will be released in the autumn on Coop Records.
Find them on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowersofruin/
