Cosette Gobat's "Couteau" Flourishes In Its Own Ethereal Space

A local of London via Philadelphia and back again, Cosette Gobat has released her debut LP, Coutea, after familiarizing herself with the singer/songwriter, folk, pop, and indie genres for nearly the last decade. She’s self-made in nearly ever sense of the word, and Couteau’s ethereal soundscape washes over the listener in the perfect blend of all of her artistic strengths. Listening to this album is like being enveloped by a dream - you can’t quite pin down where one direction starts and where another ends, but everything still somehow pieces itself together in the haze.

One constant, evident in nearly every song, are Gobat’s filtered and otherworldly vocals. While the tracks seem to jump genres, with some leaning more towards folk and indie, her vocals are constantly reminiscent of filtered bedroom dream pop. There’s also an emphasis on percussion, but not in the typical sense. A standout track in my opinion is “The Libra,” with its immediate push and pull of bright electric guitar trills, hollow drum beats within the empty spaces, and an overall grooving melody that is so perfectly balanced with her languid, hazy vocals. This was the first song I listened to before I started Couteau front to back and it hasn’t left my mind since.

Other tracks, like the opener “Summer Sunshine” immediately leave a mark. I want to call this sound “gospel subconscious” because it opens with the most beautiful, dream-like choir. You have to just let me overuse the dream-state comparisons, because this album just feels like it was lifted from one. This song is what the weightless feeling of floating underwater would sound like. That’s another one of Gobat’s strengths - all of these tracks feel tangible, whether that be in a lucid state or otherwise.

The titular track is a stunner. The opening vocal lines are much more pronounced and tonal, backed by a simple string line. Then it breaks into a layered and echoing circle of chanted vocals and piercing chords. Otherworldly, I’m telling you. There are moments in this that feel overwhelmingly spiritual or choral, but not quite angelic. There is always a hint of something darker within the artful use of minor chords.

The ease and cohesion with which this album listens, despite the artful jump in genre and style, make Couteau a success. Gobat has most definitely found her sound, and it’s one that I can truthfully say I’ve never heard before.

You can stream Couteau below or anywhere else you find music.