Building upon what is now an extensive discography, Alcest have returned once again with another glow of sunlight cast into the gloomy darkness of the black metal scene. As you'd expect from that summery cover art, this is a light, cheerful, reflective album that will delight those who have brought into the band's brand of shoegazery. There are some of the least heavy moments of the Alcest pantheon present, the likes of Flamme Jumelle not a million miles away from some uplifting pop acts in the way it uses melody in a simple but compelling structure. Interlude Réminiscence is the lightest, a strings, piano, and wordless vocal piece lasting just under three minutes, but with some of the most genuinely beautiful music that you'll likely hear all year.

This is a metal band when all is said and done, so we are also gifted with tracks such as L'enfant de la lune (月の子) where the band throw in everything from blastbeats to electronica and progressive meandering instrumentals, all to great effect. Many pieces here have backing (both male and female) vocals and the overall effect is lovely in the most heartfelt of ways. Those who want something heavier from the project in keeping with its earliest days will probably be disappointed by the lack of anything too blackened, the blasts on the likes of Komorebi more than cancelled out by the clean singing and gentle, practically post-rock instrumentation. L'Envol particularly shows this off, the drumming from Jean "Winterhalter" Deflandre technical and interesting without being showy. Deflandre also part-handled the album's production, which balances the instruments well (including bass) but highlights the vocals which float atop like the cranes on the cover.

Even as a noted fan of heaviness and black metal at its most grimy, it's genuinely difficult to pick at Les Chants de l'Aurore, to criticise any aspect of it. As with past highlights from the band, the dreamy vibe helps to put the listener into a delicious stupor. An ever so slightly more aggressive feel to the opening of Améthyste, with a slight use of backing croaks register, yet the ensuing calming vocals and shimmering melody help to soothe, to brighten. The only truly mournful note on the album is with the closing L'adieu, a farewell given in clean singing, strummed acoustic guitar and a simple melody as the album ends and summer fades away. Yet we know that we'll see each other again, that summer will come again next year, and so the tears are quickly wiped away. A wonderful record, the aural equivalent of feeling the warm sun on your face and knowing that everything is all right in the world.