The dø
A Mouthful

The Franco-Finnish duo The dø are responsible for this enjoyable music project, and they go by the names Olivia B. Merilahti and Dan Levy, who make a grand debut with this (already mature) "A Mouthful."

The musical area that comes to mind when listening to the album is that covered by various deviant pop projects like Rita Mitsouko (RIP Fred), Cibo Matto, Sean Lennon, and Beck, but with plenty of taste, mixed and remixed, for folk melody. In fact, what's surprising is the duo's acoustic orthodoxy despite the aforementioned (admitted or not) group inspirations.

The album indeed begins with a track that could be written by Solex, but performed by Architecture in Helsinki, then "At Last" and "On My Shoulders", blues tracks that could have been written by an Edie Brickell finally back in a state of grace. Olivia's fragile voice (make sure to stress the last letter!) is both the strength and weakness of the acoustic and nocturnal "Song For Lovers." An indie-pop-folk album that's practically perfect with its variety of melodies from another time (yes, all one word) that finds its limit precisely in its maturity/perfection.

A deliberately simple pop album, but with influences so deeply internalized that it feels like a mashed-up album without actually being one. There's also time for tracks somewhat Eminem-esque ("Queen Dot Kong"), or more "easily" indie-pop (in "Tammie", they remind me of Tilly and the Wall) in this debut, let's highlight that.

It requires many listens. Slowly, it seems to be getting into my bloodstream. An album that won't remain in history. As perhaps it should. Like, certainly, Cibo Matto or Rita Mitsouko should have. I believe.