Isolde Lasoen | Oh Dear Review

by Bea Willis

Isolde Lasoen is a vocalist, songwriter, drummer with the band DAAN, TV personality, and front-woman of her own band, whose career takes a new turn with her brand new and ambitious album Oh Dear. Lasoen says, “This is 100% what I want; this record is 100% ME.” The album’s 10 tracks have influences from jazz, melancholic folk, groovy pop, and everything in between. The songs flow with a cinematic feel and evoke the obscure baroque pop of David Axelrod, imbued with a hint of indie à la Goldfrapp, Air, or Sebastien Tellier. Lasoen wrote the material for Oh Dear all by herself, building every song from the drums, vibraphone, and her own voice as an instrument, which has become a signature sound and forms layered melodic lines that often define the hooks of the songs.

Lasoen’s bold approach includes vocal selections and lush instrumentals like “Bed & Breakfast.” With an undeniable French influence, Lasoen creates a song of hues and textures. The lead is whistled as the waltz time has elements of jazz. Jo Hermans takes a musical trumpet solo, giving another jazz element. Lasoen’s drumming is based on groove, as she is nimble and encouraging on the set.

Producer Tobie Speleman and Lasoen worked hard to perfect the sound of the drums, the driving force behind the music on Oh Dear. Wietse Meys wrote the sublime arrangements for strings and horns, and for the album’s recording sessions, Isolde could rely on her beloved and talented musicians. A gorgeous example of this is the symphonic “Douce Mélancolie.” The male/female vocals are rich, with the music having many feels and orchestrations.

Oh Dear is a creative project for music fans that appreciate different music but demands high fidelity, strong compositions, and unusual instrumentation. Oh Dear provides the before-mentioned qualities and more. Step into the musical world of Isolde Lasoen; you will not be able to escape her charm.