There are voices that feel like home, and for me, Mélanie Pain’s has always been one of them. Now she returns with “Bluer than Blue“, the opening confession from her upcoming album, and it’s as disarming as ever.
“Bluer than Blue” doesn’t just open the new record — it sets the tone for what’s to come. It begins in silence, with Mélanie’s voice a cappella, fragile yet certain, almost like a diary entry whispered aloud. The words spill out in big, uncontainable proportions — “Wider than the sky, deeper than the sea, stronger than me” — mapping the vast terrain of self-doubt, expectation, and that stubborn hunger for unconditional love. What could feel heavy instead feels delicate, because of the way her voice bends: never rushed, never forced, always allowing space for breath.
The arrangement, added in reverse after the vocals were set, unfurls like a painter adding brushstrokes to a finished sketch. Each instrument appears with intention: the muted piano stepping softly, the bass pulling us back down to earth, the guitar pricking through the melancholy with slivers of light. Then the flute floats in — a small gust of hope — followed by clarinet and horn, sighs of doubt and nostalgia. And then, at the far end, the flugelhorn: a tender beacon from somewhere distant but constant. By the time the drums steady themselves, the track has shifted from confession into resilience. It’s orchestral in spirit, yet never bloated, carrying the balance of Sufjan Stevens’ intimacy with Prokofiev’s storytelling.
On a personal level, this one grabbed me immediately. I’ve been a fan of Mélanie’s timbre for years, so it didn’t take much for “Bluer than Blue” to nest under my skin. The soft percussion, the xylophone-like sparkle, and that flute — all the things I love in music that can sit with me for hours, keeping me company while I wrestle with my own thoughts. It’s melancholic, yes, but also strangely soothing, like a reminder that even doubt can be held with grace. It’s the kind of track I’ll return to when I need to steady myself.
About Mélanie Pain:
For over twenty years, Mélanie Pain has been the unmistakable voice behind Nouvelle Vague while carving out her own solo path. Her career has always blended folk intimacy with pop elegance, but with her upcoming fourth album, “How and Why“, she strips things back further than ever. Recorded live with longtime bandmates and inspired by the likes of Kings of Convenience and Iron & Wine, the album brings her voice and guitar to the forefront, raw and unadorned. Across nine tracks — including a duet with Brian Lopez of Calexico and a Turkish cover of Duman — she builds a warm, luminous space for reflection. “Bluer than Blue” is the doorway into that space, and it’s a beautiful place to enter.
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