CAROSEL
“Mellow sophistication and sultry grooves, Carosel’s music filters through the static with an intoxicating charm that puts the boss in bossa nova”
– Evening Herald
“Not only do they eschew affected indie-posturing and sundry rock-star clichés, but their retro-eclectic approach to pop purity has created its own unique sense of cool” – The Sunday Business Post
“Carosel seem to have hit upon their sound as easily as their music grooves along. – The Sunday Times
“Carosel frontwoman Michelle Phelan’s crystal clear, atmospheric voice contains enough warmth to melt any cynicism” – News of the World
“Phelan’s striking vocals add a sunny disposition to Mc Grane’s cheerful array of melodious songs, so the album has a feel-good factor of 10” – The Star
“… a ray of light in an otherwise overcast musical climate; a colorful counterpoint to the palliative placebos peddled by the band’s characterless contemporaries.” – Oxygen.ie
Carosel is a Paris-based indie-pop duo consisting of Michelle Phelan and Pete McGrane, serving up “upbeat happy pop music” with quirky, bouncy beats, catchy chorus lines, passionate lyrics, and crystal-clear, atmospheric vocals. With an exciting and truly multi-dimensional sound, there are moments of pure indie-pop, dashes of latin influence, and glimpses of retro-flair. From the hushed, toned down “I’m Sorry” to the cheeky and somewhat assertive “Little Wolf”, it would be quite a feat to encapsulate Carosel in one word. The common thread lies in their lively rhythms and melodies that linger in the mind coupled with a warm and haunting voice. Carosel’s inspired blend of genres garners them comparisons to Feist, Regina Spektor, Kate Nash, Dionne Warwick and even Lily Allen.
The story goes that the duo formed onstage: while Michelle was attending a concert where Pete was performing, she was asked to join him on stage for an impromptu rendition of the Al Green classic “Let’s Stay Together”. There was a musical catalysis and the audience was captivated: Carosel was born!
Before this rather fortunate twist of fate, Michelle was living in a small town south of Dublin, listening to Burt Bacharach, The Carpenters or The Beatles on the jukebox of the restaurant that her parents used to run. There were born her two passions: music, obviously, and cooking (a passion she still pursues through her blog: Phelan Hungry). As for Pete, a teenage rock bohemian, discovering the guitar at school, he went on to study classical and folk guitar styles. With his six-string in hand, the years that followed took him to India and Andalousia from where he returned with honed musical skills and the harmonious melodies that inspire Carosel’s tuneful arrangements.
After their debut album, Kaleidoscope, was released in 2009 in Great Britain to critical acclaim and the UK/Ireland tour that ensued, Carosel moved to Paris – “for inspiration, beauty and artistic vitality of the city”. And it works: the EP – Star – was released in early 2011, and they began working on their next album, occasionally revisiting songs from artists as diverse as Bon Iver, Depeche Mode or Britney Spears, and playing in traditional venues as well as in unusual and intimate places such as Paris’ historic English bookshop “Shakespeare & Co” opened by James Joyce’s first publisher. In early 2012, the band successfully managed a crowdfunding campaign on French platform Oocto, raising 2,500€ to mix select tracks for their latest album, Back To The Start, just released on November 12, 2012.
