Charlotte Gainsbourg just released the title track, “Rest” from a new studio album that she’s been working on. It’s her first album since IRM which was released in 2010. She has mastered the art of writing, filming, and performing. In her new album, Rest, all of the lyrics are original. Gainsbourg said she wanted to write her new album about loss, public life, childhood fears, and other life-changing events. Her soprano voice in the album-titled song has subtle french lyrics. Gainsbourg said that writing in French was something she didn’t think she could pull off.

She released “Rest” a few months before her entire album is set to be released. Which will be November 17th through Because Music. She also self-directed her video after some encouragement and wisdom from Lars Von Trier. Gainsbourg said in a statement,

“At first I asked him if he would direct this video for me. He answered, ‘No… you should do it.’ He then said, knowing very well what I needed, ‘I will tell you exactly what you must do.’ He dictated quite precisely ‘the rules’ for me to follow. I was nodding through the telephone while writing down the master’s principles. And that was it—the first push I longed for. To go out, and carry a camera for myself. Up to me to deliver my personality in either the archive footage I was choosing or the new images I filmed. Trying to create a repetitive language through this musical loop. Thanks to this first step into directing, I was able to take possession of my own imagery.”

It’s a process that the artist was ready to tackle. The entire album is following the death of her sister,Kate Barry, who was a photographer. That is inspiration for Gainsbourg. In “Rest” she sings about walking and flying with her sister in the moonlit sky.

She sings, Please take my hand, do not let me fly, please stay with me, do not let me forget you. Her lyrics in french sound more pleasing, but that’s what “Rest” is all about,

“Prends-moi la main, s’il te plaît/ Ne me laisses pas m’envoler/ Restes avec moi, s’il te plaît/ Ne me laisses pas t’oublier.”

Rest will be officially released on November 17. The title-track that she released is co-produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo from Daft Punk. The full album features artists like Paul McCartney, Owen Pallett, Connan Mockasin and a few others.

01 Ring-a-Ring O’ Roses
02 Lying With You
03 Kate
04 Deadly Valentine
05 I’m a Lie
06 Rest
07 Sylvia Says
08 Songbird in a Cage
09 Dans Vos Airs
10 Les Crocodiles
11 Les Oxalis