If Beauty Is a Crime

Chronique

Mi (Mira) and L'au (Laurent) go electro on this album, the production of which coincided with their discovery of the music of the celebrated French film composer François de Roubaix. It's an odd juxtaposition of developments for the decidedly odd musical couple, and the resulting music is, no question about it, somewhat weird. But it's also completely delightful. If Beauty Is a Crime opens uncertainly, offering both questionable diction ("Born into this/Territory is an animal") and a musical setting that partakes of tango, cabaret, and concert band sounds, the title track sweeps all concerns aside with a quietly perfect blend of minimalist electro-pop and charming octave vocals. When things slide back into Edith Piaf territory on "360," it's less alarming -- and when you hit "Magic 80," an utterly simple and perfectly beautiful lullaby, its impact is tremendous. "Silk" is oddly affecting despite its plodding beat, and "One Day" is weird in all the coolest ways, with its dubwise percussion sounds mixed way to the back and a dreamy ambience up front. Neither Mira nor Laurent has an exceptional singing voice, but they know how to write for their own voices, and what they've come up with here is both unique and really quite wonderful.
© Rick Anderson /TiVo