Hubert Lenoir feat. Kirin J Callinan
hunny bunny
Simone Records
Any new material from Kirin J Callinan is bound to pique interest, but this track is a pleasant surprise for different reasons. There is barely any Kirin on this single, his contributions relegated to a few louche croons and background vocals. Those looking for more Kirin may come away disappointed. But those with an open mind may come away interested in the second half of this equation. This is Hubert Lenoir’s track, and it’s a breezy, effortless pop single.
This song is no indication Lenoir’s previous output. The French-Canadian’s debut album from last year, Darlene, was shortlisted for the Polaris prize and is a glam kiss-off to Marc Bolan, chock full of swaggering boogie riffs, organ and piano flourishes, and a heavy dose of Prince attitude. Lenoir has enough androgynous swagger to put his heroes to shame and he clearly delights in it. It’s no wonder that he collaborated with Callinan, a like-minded provocateur-in-arms from across the pond.
This track is much more electronic and dance-oriented than Lenoir’s previous output, and is a bit too light for its own good. Kirin’s vocal spot is barely there, and the instrumentation and production is sparse and a tad lazy compared to Lenoir’s more bombastic past efforts. However, its potent hook and offhand charm is undeniable, and elevates it to more than the sum of its parts.
MATIJA ZIVKOVIC
