Her – Her

3 months ago

JimBo

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Release date: March 30th 2018
Label: Barclay (FR)
Length: 53 minutes

9.0

Among the albums that have left a mark on me in recent years, one that stirred a particularly unusual feeling is Her’s self-titled record, released in October 2018. Purity, talent, production — everything is there. And yet, something feels strange… more than a feeling, really: the certainty that we’ll never again have access to that very special touch the band managed to capture on this album.

Here’s a brief look back at a record that means a lot to me.

A bit of context. Her was a modern soul band infused with hints of rock, pop, and electro. The project was led by a duo: Victor Solf (vocals and keyboards) and Simon Carpentier (bass and vocals). The two French musicians met in Rennes and first played together in The Popopopops (also well worth a listen). In 2015 the group split up and a new band formed around the duo: Her. They released two EPs (Her Tape #1 and #2) and gained worldwide recognition as early as 2016 thanks to the track “Five Minutes,” featured notably in an Apple commercial.

Their first — and only — self-titled album was released in March 2018. Only one? Yes, because Simon Carpentier passed away in August 2017 from cancer at the age of 27. As you’ve probably guessed, the record was therefore released “posthumously.” It’s composed roughly half of tracks from their EPs and half of previously unheard songs, some re-recorded or completed by Victor Solf. They toured for a year, and the band officially disbanded in February 2019, with Victor Solf announcing he would pursue a solo career—now missing the other half of himself.

Let’s dive into this album together, a true gem with an apparent simplicity that hides enormous power.

Absent from the earlier EPs, “We Choose” opens the album in a beautifully poetic way. It deals with the theme of memory, and the line “We choose the way we’ll be remembered” can easily be read as the desire to carry on the spirit of The Popopopops through the new Her project, especially since the track was written before Simon Carpentier’s passing. Ultimately, choosing to place it at the very beginning of the album was likely no accident — a tribute, a remembrance — reinforced by the carefully crafted sense of space and emptiness in the track. Victor Solf’s pure voice, doubled on the choruses, is soon joined around the one-minute mark by finger snaps and slow pulses, the only rhythmic markers until a gentle transition into the second song.

As mentioned earlier, next comes “Five Minutes”, the flagship track of the album, certainly the best known—and sung by Simon Carpentier. The finger snaps are quickly joined by a piercing guitar line, the only guitar presence throughout the song, while the pulse remains unchanged from start to finish. Simple? Incredibly powerful. And the bass? Only root notes at first, with a modest lift during the choruses. After repeated listens, it becomes clear that the drummer-less band relied heavily on electronic sounds for their rhythm section — bass aside. In essence, the song is a tribute to femininity and its magnetic pull. Five minutes to fall under a spell, to read the signs. Five minutes for love at first sight.

For the next track, “Icarus”, Her delivers lyrics that are simple yet potent. The sound grows fuller, heavier, with a more prominent saturated guitar. We leave behind the spaciousness of the first tracks for something more explosive. The song marks a rhythmic rupture and feels like a more vivid expression of Simon’s absence for the remaining members: “You’re still a part of me / Just I’m on the other side”

One thing is certain: Her knows how to craft simple, striking, stripped-down rhythms. “Blossom Roses” explores the tension between love and hate, maternal and carnal love. This time both singers share the lead. A sharper guitar, reminiscent of “Five Minutes,” appears during an intoxicating bridge. A major shift occurs with the next track.

“On & On” features two guest artists: Belgian rapper Roméo Elvis and Henning May, the gravel-voiced singer of German pop-rock band AnnenMayKantereit. Their unique vocals bring a darker tone to the song. Driven by a powerful bassline and that now-familiar razor-edge guitar sound, the track becomes a convincing critique of social media.

The sixth track, one of my personal favorites, returns to a more positive — though more political — message, carried by an irresistibly smooth sliding bassline from the very first seconds. The theme of acceptance and unity in “Neighborhood” permeates the doubled vocals throughout much of the track, ending in a soft fade-out that leads into the album’s lo-fi, soul-infused interlude, “Trying”.

We then move on to “Quite Like”. What to say… it’s a hymn to femininity once again—more physical this time, echoing “Five Minutes”—sensual yet seemingly innocent. The lyrics enumerate the passion one can feel for the body of the woman one loves, from her curves — “I quite like your breast / When you undress” — to her movements — “I quite like your grace / Like when we interface” The chorus brings a deep warmth through soft keyboard chords, creating a palpable sense of tenderness. The song was accompanied by a beautiful music video that captured this feeling perfectly, but it was unfortunately censored for nudity.

Approaching the end of the album, we regain energy with the groovy “Wanna Be You”, which draws on disco-funk elements and guitar licks for a wonderfully infectious result. Hard to resist swaying along. One of the album’s greatest successes, in my opinion, bringing a much-needed breath of fresh air.

The following track, “Swim”, takes a more political turn with its rebellious message right from the first verse and chorus: “Swim against, against the tide / Walk against, against the flow” Near the end, a saxophone solo played by the late Simon Carpentier elevates the track, symbolizing a final surge of revolt before giving way to the storm.

The album closes with a much slower, calming piece: “Good Night”. Though written by both members, the title and lyrics leave little doubt about the band’s intention to honor Simon Carpentier — back on saxophone — for his battle with illness: “Now it’s time to fight back / Your light has dimmed / Don’t let it go black” The tribute continues with the final track, “For Him”, an evocative title, which is essentially a reworked and shortened version of “Hypnotize Me” from their previous band, The Popopopops…again please go check out.

Her’s self-titled album shines through its deceptive simplicity, a quality that only amplifies its power and its ability to fill space without ever becoming overbearing. Her guides us through a range of emotions, inviting us to accompany a grieving band in its ode to purity. This album would ultimately be the only full-length release in Her’s brief career, but this gem revealed remarkably talented artists. Victor Solf would go on to write the next chapter of his musical story as a solo artist. In the meantime, I can only strongly recommend listening—and re-listening—to this work.

For those who want to go further, the album is completed by two bonus tracks written entirely without Simon Carpentier: “Shuggie” and “Together,” both perfectly aligned with the album’s spirit.

Enjoy!

– Five Minutes
– Neighborhood
– Quite Like
– Wanna Be You
– Shuggie (Bonus Track)