Pearl & the Oysters
Planet Pearl
STONES THROW
Renowned for their breezy bops and sun-kissed synthscapes since debuting with their self-titled album in 2017 and Canned Music LP the following year, the French-reared, LA-based duo Pearl & the Oysters take their blissful brand of retro lounge pop to cosmic heights with an expansive fifth record that still doesn’t stray too far from their usual formula. As hinted at by the cover of Planet Pearl, multi-instrumentalists Juliette Pearl Davis and Joachim Polack’s latest places them in the moon boots of intergalactic space wanderers who’ve gotten themselves into a snafu after landing on Earth.
The new record’s emphasis on the extraterrestrial is evident from the get-go, with bleeps and bloops scattered across the kaleidoscopic intro “Side Quest,” mimicking what a spaceship control panel might sound like while traversing through the cosmos. Given that topics such as alienation and disenchantment abound on the album, Planet Pearl’s depiction of two marooned travelers is an appropriate analogy for such weighty subject matter. Yet despite zooming in on some serious themes, longtime listeners will be pleased to know that Planet Pearl retains the pair’s playful blend of synth-pop, jazz, funk, and yacht rock throughout its 13 tracks. “Cruise Control” is a groovy head-nodder that evokes the playfulness of ’90s shibuya-kei; bossa nova is a clear influence all over the cheeky “Halfway Where?”; jazz-pop number “Big Time” is a whimsical ride that doubles as a funky veneer to Davis’ concerns about having to “cosplay happiness.”
On slower songs such as “A Planet Upside Down” and “I Fell Into a Piano,” Davis’ gossamer vocals are as gentle as an autumn breeze, mirroring the trance-like effect a smoky Parisian lounge singer would have on her audience. While Pearl & the Oysters didn’t reinvent the wheel on their fifth go-around, Planet Pearl is a testament to the pair’s ability to tackle melancholy while weaving in their usual joie de vivre.
