Formerly of The Narcoleptic Dancers and My Bee’s Garden, Prochet has embraced dream pop with Melody’s Echo Chamber project. The classically-trained Parisian recruited Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker to produce the self-titled debut album in 2012. The independently-produced album Bon Voyage was released in 2018.
On the debut album, lead single/opener “I Follow You” begins with simple, sun-drenched ’60s melodies and ambling guitars before descending into a psychedelic swirl that recalls Parker’s day job. Consider that spiral a gentle warning to not expect anything straightforward from Melody’s Echo Chamber, especially when things seem to be heading in that direction. On “Endless Shore”, for example, Prochet crafts a densely layered haze complete with ethereal coos signature to the style, yet she does so in a manner that’s less pensive and more authoritative. The rhythm section doesn’t bother with hypnosis, favoring a superliminal approach, a feat developed well into the motorik beats of “Crystallized”. The unabashed prettiness of Prochet’s vocals on “You Won’t Be Missing That Part Of Me” are undercut by sci-fi tinged synth notes that propel the song into the unknown cosmos. “Snowcapped Andes Crash” finds the band swapping their pop leanings for a jazzy feel. The track’s midsection crashes back to earth, only to continue as if the avalanches of the title never happened. Fuzzed guitars take a backseat to Air-like grooves on “Mount Hopeless”, chiming in and out like some kind of warning. This lounge-y vibe is immediately shattered on the glitched-out two minute distortion-fest “Is That What You Said”. It would have been the album’s strangest moment if it weren’t for closer “Be Proud of Your Kids”, during which one cannot help but recall M83′s “Raconte-Moi Une Histoire” thanks to the supporting contribution of an actual French child, curious to know whether "you've already seen a completely naked woman in the street. What colour was her backside?" and other niceties before informing the listener that "the radio is finished, voilà."
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Cross My Heart
Melody's Echo Chamber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
I can′t keep falling from so high
All the oceans keeping us apart
And the seasons passing by
And I'm still sad
This is a promise to my heart
I can′t keep falling from so high
And the seasons passing by
And I'm still sad
Une civilisation perdue
Au fond d'un puits
Creusé au plus profond
D′une planète enchantée
Je danse avec des loups
Des biches et des elfs
Dans la forêt
Paisible et enchantée
Une civilisation perdue
Au fond d′un puits
Creusé au plus profond
D'une planète enchantée
Et je danse avec des louves
Des elfes, des biches
Dans la forêt
Paisible et enchantée
Une civilisation perdue
Au fond d′un puits
Creusé au plus profond
D'une planète enchantée
Je danse avec des louves
Et des biches
The lyrics to Melody's Echo Chamber's song Cross My Heart seem to be depicting the struggles of a broken heart. The lines "This is the promise to my heart, I can't keep falling from so high" imply that the singer has been hurt before and cannot bear the thought of suffering again. The next few lines "All the oceans keeping us apart and the seasons passing by" could be referencing the feeling of distance between two people, possibly a lover, and the slow progression of time as they remain apart. Despite these feelings, the singer admits that they are still sad, perhaps acknowledging that there's no escaping these emotions.
The second verse introduces the idea of a lost civilization, and it's unclear if the singer is relating this to their own life or if it's a separate idea. The French lyrics "Une civilisation perdue" translate to "A lost civilization" and go on to describe dancing with wolves and elves in an enchanted forest. This imagery could signify a place of peace and escape from the pain of reality. The repetition of these verses throughout the song implies that the singer is trying to make a promise to themselves that they won't get hurt again, but they are struggling to find happiness.
Writer(s): Fiske Reine Nils, Prochet Melody Francoise
Contributed by Samuel S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thais Nicols
on I Follow You
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