Geography shapes mood, and by retreating to the stark, elemental landscapes of northern Iceland, Chartreuse found not just isolation but inspiration. In the summer of 2024, the band took refuge at Flóki Studios for a focused two-week session, a five-hour drive from Reykjavík. Working with producer Sam Petts-Davies, known for his work with The Smile, they embraced a process that valued spontaneity over perfection. As frontman Mike explained: “It’s not that we were loose with it; it was more about not letting ourselves talk our way out of decisions or second-guess choices we were making in the moment. If it sounded good, it stayed. If it didn’t feel right, we tried something else.” This ethos, shared with Petts-Davies, birthed a collection of tracks that feel alive and unguarded; a body of work rich in diversity and creative confidence.

The four-piece are a tightly knit unit: brothers Mike (guitar, vocals) and Rory Wagstaff (drums) are joined by Rory’s long-term partner Hattie Wilson (piano, vocals) and Hattie’s childhood friend Perry Lovering (bass). This closeness threads through the music. Fixin' is a warming charm that encapsulates it perfectly. Though the shortest track, its minimalism and pacing make for a moment emotionally potent, resonating far beyond its runtime.

Fold offers another intimate highlight. Built around rhythmic guitar riffs, dreamy melodies, and Wilson’s shimmering vocals, it’s described by her as “an odd little love song.” It beautifully captures the push/pull of relationships with the urge to mend what cannot always be fixed and the quiet fight to make things right for someone you love.

Chartreuse’s egalitarian approach to instrumentation and vocals remains a defining trait. Roles shift fluidly; there’s no hierarchy, only what best serves the song. The production matches this adventurous spirit: layers appear in unexpected ways, and the mixing moves between clarity and dreamlike textures, balancing intimacy with expansiveness.

Throughout the record, attention to detail is paramount. I’m Losing It grows from a soft, unassuming guitar intro into a moment of fragile urgency, while Kid Won’t Eat masks tension beneath its gentle melodies. Each song feels intricately constructed yet natural, carrying subtle, emotional weight.

Just past its midway point, one of the album’s standouts, Sequence of Voices, is a vivid piece of collective memory. Overlapping vocals, frantic guitar strums, and a restless tempo create a rush of fragments and feelings. All before the final trio - Holiday From Normal Dreaming, Moon Man and By July play like a long, steady exhale. 

These songs are less about closure than they are about acceptance. Holiday drifts lightly, offering a pause from the world’s weight. Moon Man moves inward, finding solitude in its spaciousness. And By July delivers a soft landing, tender and restrained. 

Chartreuse’s Bless You & Be Well is a revelation: a quietly powerful album that balances fragility and force with shared resonance. There’s a rare beauty in its minimalism, yet it never feels insubstantial, it's something much more emotionally weighted, coated in gold.

***** 

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