Etiénne Daho: Noël Avec Toi

Etiénne Daho: Noël Avec Toi / Noël Avec Toi (Instrumental)
(Barclay / Universal Music France, 586 868 3, France, 2023)

Etiénne Daho's big break came in 1985 with his French #13 synthpop hit "Tombé Pour La France" ("Fallen for France"). Daho went on to become one of France's most successful pop singers, drawing influences from across the musical spectrum, from France Gall to the Velvet Underground, from Serge Gainsbourg to Syd Barrett, and working with artists as diverse as Marianne Faithful, OMD and St. Etienne. He has had three Top 10 hits in France ('Mon Manège À Moi' in 1993, 'Comme Un Boomerang', a duet with Dani, in 2001 and 'Les Flocons De L'Été' in 2017) and most of his albums have been certified gold or platinum.

His latest album 'Tirer La Nuit Sur Les Étoiles' was released in May 2023 and reached the top of the French album charts. In December, Daho released a follow-up album containing remixes and leftover songs from the 'Tirer La Nuit Sur Les Étoiles' sessions. One of these songs was a Christmas song, 'Noël Avec Toi' ('Christmas With You'). Noël Avec Toi' was also released on a red vinyl 7" with a slightly longer instrumental version of the song on the B-side.

Daho co-wrote the song with vocalist and songwriter Jade Vincent and keyboardist, pianist, composer and producer Keefus Ciancia. Together with David Holmes, Vincent and Ciancia form the Los Angeles-born, London-based trio Unloved. Unloved are inspired by classic film scores, electro-acoustic music, and smoky jazz chanteuses, and all of these influences come together on 'Noël Avec Toi'. Daho's voice is the male equivalent of a smoky jazz chanteuse. The music is very atmospheric, at times minimal, just background humming and a bass. A little further into the song, keyboards, electronica and bells create a full cinematic sound.

Noël Avec Toi" is a song of longing, a longing to be with your love. Daho sings about the longing you feel when you are on your way to her (or him), to spend Christmas together, and to know that even if things don't always go smoothly, love is still burning brightly in both of you. A truly beautiful Christmas song.

You can listen to the song on Youtube:

And buy it at Etiénne Daho’s webstore.