Sometimes, my main impression of an album is the potential the band has. I think that is the case for the new Edenya album. The lineup has changed and the writing is solid, and I think the band can take things to the next level in the future. The new album is called Another Place, and it released on January 13th.
Edenya are a French band. Right now, they are just a duo of Marco on guitars, keys, piano, and programming, and Clélia Lenoble on vocals. You will also hear guest musicians Julien Perdereau on drums and bass, Juliette Carradec on violin, and Sophie Clavier on backing vocals.
The band plays an atmospheric, folk-inspired progressive rock with plenty of strings and gentle melodies. I would compare them to Mostly Autumn or White Willow, though on a more reserved scale. Some songs are quite lush and quiet, while others have more rock and muscle to them.
I think this band has a few things going for them. First, Marco’s guitars are excellent. He has a great clean tone and has some serious skills in soloing. He gives the album an edge that it needs. The lyrics, too, are potent. The whole album seems to be about losing a loved one, and there seems to be songs written from the perspective of the one who died, and also the one left behind. It is an emotional record, and Clélia’s performance hits all the right notes with how vulnerable and authentic she sounds. I should also mention Julien’s bass because it has meat and flow to it that really brings this album to life.
The album as a whole has some ups and downs, but I think it has some really strong portions. The first few songs are pretty gentle, though good in their melodies and vocals. I really like the casual, jaunting nature of “Somewhere in My Dreams”, which seems much happier than it probably is. “The Tree” is great, too, with its greyscale sound and great keys.
Then “Inside Your Walls” hits, and I feel like the album jumps a few notches. “Inside Your Walls” is a haunting song with great transitions and powerful guitar portions; and when I say “powerful”, I mean that I audibly said “Wow!” when I first heard it. It feels like the centerpiece of the album in some ways, being maybe the most progressive and also the longest. It is sure to be one of my favorite songs this year.
The rest of the album has some great tunes, too, though. I really like “I Hope”, which is more of a mellow ballad, but I find myself singing it often. “The Shelter” is sort of like “Inside Your Walls” reborn with its excellent soloing and one of the best, dreamiest choruses on the album. I absolutely love the closer, “Let Me Go”, an emotional piece with this stream of consciousness feeling; it has some pretty heart-rending lyrics, too, as the loved one calls out from beyond the grave with a message of moving on, resolution, and peace.
This is a really good album. Edenya has all the ingredients for taking their sound to the next level, and I think they will. Another Place does leave a lasting impression, especially with its lyrics, and some of the melodies are deeply moving. I hope you will find their music as attractive as I do.
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Find Edenya online:
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The PROG Mind 