Passion (2012) by Para One

Para One, the moniker of French artist Jean-Baptiste de Laubier, released its first album Passion in 2012. Baptiste has heavy roots within the underground hip hop/ electronic scene, and is most known for his role as a producer of alternative hip hop band TTC. Passion is a blend of both catchy, pining love songs, and icy electronic beats. The album as a whole has an ambient, ethereal feel to it and muses over themes such as love, loss and religion. Laubier’s experience in film, as he directed Sixpack France’s short film It Was On Earth That I Knew Joy, shines through in Passion especially in tracks such as “The Talking Drums” and “Sigmund”. Standout tracks include “Wake Me Up”, “Every Little Thing”, “Love Ave” and “When the Night”.

1. “Ice Cold” is a frosty opener and the song is true to its name. It’s dark, ethereal, ancient and ominous. I can see this being the audio to panoramic B-roll of an abandoned Grecian mansion in a Christopher Nolan film. It’s the kind of song that would play during slow, creaking shots of crumbled pillars and murky, pearl lakes that have mint colored leaves floating precariously on top. The gravel is not out of place, the gate opens by itself, and the wrath of Zeus is right around the corner.

2. “Wake Me Up” has a strong metallic, “witch house” vibe to it. The song is a conversation that gets very chopped and screwed, especially towards the end. It is heavily influenced by Laubier’s electronic/trap background. The song is cold, and is a complete 180 from the next track “Every Little Thing”. “Wake Me Up” has a more controlling vibe to it; the relationship in the song is not one that the listener should be able to identify with.

3. “Every Little Thing” is very cute and is thoroughly dream pop. Passion is, at many times, a pop album, and “Every Little Thing” characterizes this. Catchy progressions and vocals make this track a memorable love song. Unlike the other songs, where the vocals are scratched out or mumble-rapped, the vocals on “Every Little Thing” are clear and precise. While “Wake Me Up” has a powerful, robotic relationship within it, “Every Little Thing” croons the common narrative of unrequited love and obsessive pining in a more approachable way. If a 20-something who was really into Purity Ring decided to create an updated John Hughes soundtrack, this would be in it.

4. “Vibrations followed by Poisoned Apple” is, in terms of atmosphere, is a mix of “Every Little Thing” and “Wake Me Up”. It’s not as cold and unforgiving as the opening singles, but it is not as warm as “Every Little Thing”. It reminds me of the cinematic scenes featured in early 2000’s video games. It could be the soundtrack to Rainbow Road in Mario Kart. The beat becomes pretty heavily dynamic soon into the song, switching between the icy coolness that is apparent throughout the entire album and an 8-bit dreamlike, transcendence. It is truly a transitionary song that stays true to Passion’s emphasis on alternative hip hop.

5. “When the Night” features soulful vocals and marks the turn of the album. It is the storm, pouring over with a heavy R&B influence. I get strong 1980’s movie montage vibes from this song. I would definitely listen to it while riding out of a Cadillac sun roof, my arms stretched towards the heavens, with my buddies snorting coke off the sides of my discarded, holographic platforms, as we race down the wrong side of the tracks.

6. “Sigmund” begins with a quote from Lost Highway, a 1997 psychological thriller directed by David Lynch, who I’m positive would at least like this album. “Sigmund” has a sense of urgency we haven’t seen in the album since “Wake Me Up”, but also includes heavy notes of confusion. Unlike the other tracks which are more audience friendly, “Sigmund” takes no prisoners. It’s a song that doesn’t seem to care if you are able to stick around on its myriad of metallic beats and heavy electronic chopping. Very robotic, very Donna Haraway.

7. “Love Ave” is softer than the other love songs. The beat of this is very subtle, and is like a cyborg whispering in your ear and tracing your curves as you lie in your all white—but comfortable—apartment. “Love Ave” has strong hip hop and house beats to it. The vocals are not very present, but when they do appear they match the ambient, crush-on-you, atmosphere of the song.

8. “You” is a heavy electronic/trap song, that is chopped and screwed somewhat in the way “Sigmund” is. It’s house music, complete with turns, twists, and muffled robot vocals. It’s a song that reminds me of strobe lights, the way the beat quits for only a second at a time. It is the kind of song that would play as you lean against the bar of some trendy club in some trendy city. You’d be dressed in all black and your drink would be as ambiguous as you are that night. Your hair, thick with the grime of the city and your sin, falls on your face as you look up and see someone across the club. It’s like you’re looking at a reflection, you can see yourself in them. It’s like they’re you, and their hollow eyes have just enough room for you to welcome yourself in. And goddamn this song just fits the moment, y’know? That’s what you tell your friends as you leave later that night and “You” crashes in the chambers of your crashing skull.

9. “Albatros” is an echoing electronic song, with muted vocals. I originally read the title as “Alcatraz” and I suppose it fits; I could see this song playing while a few good-guys-turned-bad criminals planned a prison break. It has weird, blurry beats and vocals that suddenly drop; it’s almost like a study of sound.

10. “Lean on Me” is the next love song, or rather, a song about loss. It begs for the return of a past lover, lamenting the state of mind of knowing you did something terribly egregious, but you’re still positive that it can be remedied.  It has heavy trap leanings, but is still very ambient. This song reminds me of “Sigmund” in that it seems to have taken on a character, and it is the soundtrack to a particular story. 

11. “The Talking Drums” sounds a lot like “You” in that it has heavy, echoing, percussion. It literally is a track of drums talking. When you add the foggy, sermon vocals into the mix, it gives the song an impressive, occult vibe.

12. “Empire” is a relaxing track with slow R&B beats that offer the listener a way out. In the way “Ice Cold” was a chilling, unforgiving opener, “Empire” is a similar closing act. Imagine the daunting butler of an ancient mansion.  He has high cheekbones, dark, caved in eyes, gloss white hair, and he coldly opens the marble door and says “it would be in your best interest to leave”. If that guy was a song, he would be “Empire”.