Delaney
S/T
Pehr Records

Over the years, I have taken classes in four different languages, none of which were French. That said, outside of the two English tracks ("Hard Work Never Pays" and "Ready to Catch," respectively) and the title "Une Musique Tragique," I cannot understand anything on this debut from Parisienne Christelle Delaney, better known simply as Delaney. She could be singing about lost love, revolution or a pet cat and I would not know the difference.
However, language barriers can only do so much in preventing the mutual understanding of a song. On this self-titled release, what Delaney sings is actually less important than how she sings. Similar in tone to Stereolab's Laeticia Sadier, Delaney's voice is low and sometimes raspy with the intimate quality of someone singing a lullaby. Whether accompanied by an accoustic guitar, synthesizer or a full band, her words glide over the music and through the speakers, seeping into surrounding walls like clouds of smoke. The French language works in ways that English language vocals cannot, with "zh" sounds that start to sound like muted whistles weaving through guitar strings and "r" rolls caught deep in the back of the throat for a somber yet enticing effect. I listened to this three times last night and wondered why I cannot hear such things on the radio.