Daniel Bélanger’s mix of approachable poetry and ear for catchy arrangements is quite unique in our Canadian soundscape, and this album is proof that he still has a few surprises up his sleeves.

Daniel Bélanger, after gifting us with a string of classic albums, seems to have been lost in sonic experiments and explorations, even recently releasing an instrumental album (“Travelling”, 2020) flirting with rockabilly and even western.

Known for his sense of melody and his philosophical lyrics, he’s coming back to his roots in style with this new offering, the closest he’s ever been to his classic album – and a favorite of mine – “Rêver mieux”, released in 2001, more than 20 years ago.

33 minutes of auditory honey, floating in our ears like a dream, a meditation on the beauty of life, our many struggles, and what we can learn from them. Bélanger’s mix of approachable poetry and ear for catchy arrangements is quite unique in our Canadian soundscape, and this album is proof that he still has a few surprises up his sleeves.

Stream “Mercure en mai” LP on Bandcamp.