Album Review

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool – The Key

• 18th Oct 2010

“You’re leaving because there’s some place you should be/And I can’t believe it, because you swore out loud that place is here with me” are the words that ring out from Ou Est Le Swimming Pool’s fourth (and likely final) single from debut album ‘The Golden Year’. This poignant little ditty of a love song has an instant sing-along quality that is quite touching, and maybe almost anthemic. Similar synthpop and eighties revival bands cropping up might’ve taken a track like ‘The Key’ and turned it into some upbeat boppy creation, however Ou Est Le Swimming Pool add a melancholy edge that makes it sound human.

‘The Key’ received the go-ahead from late singer Charles Haddon’s family, its music video laced with black and white footage of the band’s Pukkelpop Festival performance, which was just hours prior to Haddon’s suicide. The insistent elastic pulse of synthesizer lowers into haunting swells, as Haddon’s voice purposefully begins “Richer words have come from your mouth”; it being ironic that the melody raised from his own mouth is rich as can be. From time to time the highly polished ‘The Key’ does sound too compressed and contained, particularly when held up against previous singles ‘Dance The Way I Feel’ or ‘These New Knights’, which are given enough room to breathe – not drone like an old fridge. As with a lot of electronic music, Ou Est Le Swimming Pool have to be careful when toeing the line between a handsome piece of pop, and the buzz of a blue light insect killer.

At the end of the day Ou Est Le Swimming Pool enjoy what they do, and it’s a great thing that they’ve chosen to continue with this release. Charles Haddon had a unique audio and physical presence that should not be forgotten too easily. It is uncertain what remaining members Joe Hutchinson and Caan Capan will do next, but as long as they go on to write more thoughtful yet infectious music, akin to ‘The Key’, then I couldn’t care less.