A Tenuous Tale Of Her

by Poté

supported by

kila the fan Really hard to pick just one favorite. This went beyond my expectations and more. Deep, eclectic, heartfelt and unique af. Favorite track: Stare.

more...

	/

Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
140g black vinyl - colour labels. 12” inner paper sleeve, printed colour - matte paper. 12” outer sleeve with 3mm spine, printed colour - matte varnished card. Product sticker.

Includes unlimited streaming of A Tenuous Tale Of Her via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 3 days

Purchasable with gift card

$23.50 USD or more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
CD with colour printed face. CD gatefold sleeve, printed colour, matte varnished card.

Includes unlimited streaming of A Tenuous Tale Of Her via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 3 days

Purchasable with gift card

$12.50 USD or more
Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

$10 USD or more

1.	Under 03:10	lyrics	buy track
Under, under Under, under The look in your eyes again Under, Under The perfect smile we made Under, under On the wave, oh on the wave Under, under On the wave, oh on the wave Under, under Under, under Under, under
2.	Stare 03:41	lyrics	buy track
It’s so hot in here, blank face they stare Life as we fear, run don’t come near It’s so hot in here, let’s disappear Don’t waste no tears, don’t waste no All this time, time, time, time You left my soul bare We were running no care My heart strings you climb, climb, climb, climb All along you’ve seen clear, while i’m gasping for air No space to breath, breath, breath, breath No space to breath, breath, breath, breath No space to breath, breath, breath, breath No space to breath, breath, breath, breath To close To close, time to disappear It’s so hot in here, blank face they stare Life as we fear, run don’t come near It’s so hot in here, let’s disappear Don’t waste no tears, don’t waste no
3.	Lows 04:36		buy track
4.	Valley 03:55	lyrics	buy track
Run hmm Run hmm Run hmm Run, running (repeat 4x) Paranoid Paranoia on my mind Tell me what I gotta do, will I be fine? Popping, pop a pop a pill to get some sleep (Sleep) Or maybe dip to like, to London for like a week? (For a week) Take some time, see my niece, ain't that sweet? Or maybe fuck around smashing through those beats Paranoia, paranoia through the streets Paranoia, paranoia in my sheets Running, run hmm Run hmm Run hmm Run, running (repeat 4x) Oh wave, won't you comfort me As we go Staring down the satellite's rays I think we're close
5.	Valley II (feat. Pierre Kwenders) 02:32	lyrics	buy track
indistinguishable la la’s Zombo le soir Zombo na tongo Ah ah Zombo le soir Zombo na tongo Zombo le soir Zombo na tongo Ah ah Zombo le soir Zombo na tongo Zombo le soir Zombo na tongo Ah ah Zombo le soir Zombo na tongo Zombo le soir Zombo na tongo Zombo zombo zombo We don reload our character Zombo zombo zombo Come, let’s free throw do damage ah Zombo zombo zombo Through valleys and aperture Zombo zombo zombo The aperture, the aperture We don reload our character Come, let’s free throw do damage ah Through valleys and aperture The aperture, the aperture indistinguishable la la’s
6.	Pretty Penny's Interlude 02:06	lyrics	buy track
Ain't it striking? (ohh) Keep your head down (ohh) Oh pretty penny (ohh) She... she brought us here now (ohh) In my mind, I could save you In my mind, I could save you In my mind, I could save you In my mind, I could save you In my mind, I could save you (Oh pretty penny) In my mind, I could save you In my mind, I could save you In my mind, I could save you
7.	Open Up 03:50	lyrics	buy track
Why won't you open up, open up? Won't you open up, open up Why won't you open up, open up? Open up, open up Why won't you open up, open up? I see it coming, close enough, close enough The weight is bearing down, you know On me 'cause sometimes loves an open cuff You bold or what? I see it coming, closer now, the face is up The weight is bearing down, you know On me Open up, open up Baby, it’s for only Left on pause you know me Hold like waves, don’t fold it Ocean waves Open up you’ll see Sinking in deep, it’s on oh yeah It’s like ecstasy, rolling, rolling no care Why won't you open up, open up? Won't you open up, open up Why won't you open up, open up? Open up, open up Open up, open up Why won't you open up, open up? Won't you open up, open up Why won't you open up, open up? Open up, open up
8.	Young Lies (feat. Damon Albarn) 03:50	lyrics	buy track
For your sake, I did it We can blame it on young lies With both arms receive it, as love makes her escape Oh children of England your emollient is running into the Solent The kiss of a crackhead is greater than the obsequious behaviour of your politicians Oh so secret doubts of wo men kind double screening , double screening Oh there’s something, in the air I seen it crawl down through the ceiling Oh, she’s only caught up in a young lie Oh young lies Oh children of England your emollient is running into the Solent The kiss of a crackhead is greater than the obsequious behaviour of your politicians Oh so secret doubts of wo men kind double screening , double screening
9.	Good2u (feat. INFAMOUSIZAK) 03:08	lyrics	buy track
As it burns beneath your chest, my best And we hurt until the rest, confess We never could have found time But maybe it's just I'm So good to you, yeah good to you (You you you you) So good to you, oh good to you (You you you) So good to you, yeah good to you (You you you you) So good to you Good to you baby, you got your money's worth I got my story you got another version You’ve been turning heads for a long time Chasing you, been burning legs for a long time Went from lovestruck to fucking up the trust in us Nosey neighbors, pretty sure they had enough of us Too many ups and downs I’ve had enough of love Argue with you then I link them man and double cut Tell me more, tell me more Handed you my heart and you left it on the floor Oh why Darlin’ why you messing with you? I will give you anything why you do me? Oh why Drink more, drink more Sipped away that pain when she left that door, oh why Henny on the rocks that ain’t nothing to me I was trynna push that limit but Mama said No drink no more (no drink) No drink no more God can help You lock that door Heard that before So I pour up just one more time (one more time yeah) Sip sip unwind (sip unwind yeah) Sip sip unwind Just one more time So good to you, yeah good to you So good to you, oh good to you (You you you) So good to you, yeah good to you (You you you you) So good to you, yeah good to you (You you you you) (You you you) So good to you, yeah good to you (You you you you) So good to you
10.	Plastic Prayers 02:25	lyrics	buy track
Sat in this corner Waiting on you My minds been wasted Lately it's true As we sail down the Harrow Memories flush through With you With you I see hope in your eyes tonight
11.	Together 04:34	lyrics	buy track
As time goes we fly closer now Long as I thought the past would stick around I swear an angel was born we won't go down (together) As long as we go all together now Together Together Together Together Only love first It goes round here, it goes round here Together no fear Let love do it's worst As she comes round here It goes round here Together no fear Together Together Together Together Together Together Together Together Only love first It goes round here, it goes round here Together no fear Let love do it's worst As she comes round here It goes round here Mine, you, here Oh my darlin' Fly, go, no fear We can save you now Forever Oh forever Together

about

On “A Tenuous Tale of Her”, Poté (aka Sylvern Mathurin) marks the debut album release for Bonobo’s OUTLIER imprint. A record that’s tough, tender and grand all at once, the connections he’s built along the way speaks to the variety of his influences: with connections from Lisbon’s kuduro-fused Enchufada label, to Benji B and Damon Albarn (who features on single ‘Young Lies’), he’s built a sound that’s packed with ideas and musical touchstones alike.

He’s received boosts across a wide spectrum of supporters, including Annie Mac, MistaJam, Phil Taggart, Nina Las Vegas, TEED, Pierre Kwenders, Jamz Supernova, Laurent Garnier, and Toddla T. He’s been featured in Bonobo’s 2019 ‘fabric presents’ mix, featured on 2019 Africa Express album “EGOLI”, produced remixes for Little Dragon and Gorillaz, and recently performed on Colors Berlin.

Poté’s music has always balanced contrasting impulses. On the one hand, there’s the rhythmic, celebratory music of his Caribbean upbringing, and on the other, there’s his interest in exploratory, emotive songwriting. On this record, he takes that approach in a bolder direction: immersive and atmospheric, it’s a platform for those two sides of his music to strike a fresh dialogue.

Channelled through an imagined theatrical performance with a pre-apocalyptic setting, Poté raises the curtain on a more vulnerable, open side to his music. A storyline of looming disaster runs through many of the tracks: he imagined how different people would react to the news of impending apocalyptic breakdown. It’s a way of upping his musical ambition, and taking a step out of the limelight. “I wanted to write something that can live on stage without me being present,” he says.

Damon Albarn features on ‘Young Lies’, a collaboration which came about through Gorillaz producer Remi Kabaka Jr. "I love it when tunes evolve like this one”, Albarn said of the track.

Elsewhere, he steps into centre stage himself. A case in point is ‘Open Up’, where he reflects on anxiety and isolation. Underscored by a loose, melodic rhythm, he repeats a refrain directed at himself: “Why won’t you open up, open up?” He had spent time reflecting on his own anxieties and mental health issues, and this track is about probing that introspection and his difficulties in reaching out for support.

On ‘Stare’, he muses on the claustrophobia that can come with making music. “No space to breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe,” he sings, expressing the isolation that can come with being a solo musician. It chimes with the paranoid feeling of the record overall, as the apocalyptic theme resonates with his own internal machinations.

Musically, “A Tenuous Tale of Her” builds on the foundation that Poté laid with “Spiral, My Love”, which saw him explore beyond his earlier, club-focused productions, fleshing out the gentler sides to his music. Collaborating with Kojey Radical, Chelou and Alxndr London, he became bolder in using his own vocals, and put greater emphasis on writing melodies. “I think it's just working with other people, and people who actually write songs, and not just producers – that really shaped my ear for melodies and writing,” he says.

His growth as a performer has also shaped how he wrote this record. As he released “Spiral, My Love” in 2018, he was invited by Bonobo to support him on his European tour. Playing live for the first time in front of thousands-strong crowds, from Spain to the Czech Republic, it gave him the confidence to take a further step from music aimed solely at dancefloors. “It made me realise this could actually work,” he says.

Now based in Paris, he moved there in 2019, a change which has opened up his perspectives. “It really shakes your reality up,” he says, having made the move during the time he was working on his latest album. Giving him a newer sense of freedom – from the way he dresses to his sense of self – it’s gone hand in hand with growing as an artist and taking more risks.

Setting out his ambition to bring together those two sides to his music – the tough, rhythmic foundation, and the outlet for his raw emotions – more dramatically than before, it’s the latest chapter in his journey to find newer and bolder ways to express himself. On this record, more than any project he’s released so far, Poté undoubtedly opens up – both in his sound, and in the parts of himself that he reveals.

credits

released June 4, 2021

license

about

Poté London, UK

shows

May 7

Nuits Sonores

Lyon, France
May 11

Bursa Podyum Park

Bursa, Turkey

discography

To Say Goodbye

Oct 2023
Pink Fire Theory

Oct 2022
Natives

Mar 2022
A Tenuous Tale Of Her

Jun 2021
Pearls

Jul 2020
Rose Vol.2

May 2020
Rose

Jan 2020
Waters of Praslin

May 2019
Flirt

Nov 2017
Model (Nan Kolè Remix)

Sep 2017
Model

Aug 2017
Verz

Jun 2017

contact / help

Contact Poté

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Poté, you may also like:

UNTITLED (Black Is)
by SAULT

supported by 30 fans who also own “A Tenuous Tale Of Her”

this feels important twigs
go to album
UNTITLED (Rise)
by SAULT

supported by 26 fans who also own “A Tenuous Tale Of Her”

Like so many others, this came like a bolt out of the blue and, even though it's well before payday, I had to have this astonishing album on vinyl to prove it exists. The feel of the tunes makes me feel like the Impressions do, Curtis Mayfield, the big spaces and instinctive horns and stuff drifting in and out. Great grooves and I can see lots of ghosts nodding along to this with big smiles on their faces. At last! Anthony Cottrell
go to album
Fragments
by Bonobo

supported by 25 fans who also own “A Tenuous Tale Of Her”

What can I say. The man is a freagin wizard! He has cast a spell on me. Album is fantastic. MadMadao
go to album
EXIT073 - dBridge - 'Vemödalen' EP
by dBridge

featured on Bandcamp Radio Apr 9, 2024
go to album
diddies vol. 2
by megiapa

featured on Bandcamp Radio Apr 9, 2024
go to album
Heartbeat (Remixes)
by T. Williams

featured on Bandcamp Radio Apr 9, 2024
go to album
Promises
by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra

supported by 23 fans who also own “A Tenuous Tale Of Her”

hypnotic and incredibly moving marsplutomusic
go to album