About People Just Float
“People Just Float” is a triumph of emotional honesty, a folk-rock requiem about connection and transience.
Musik Galaxie
https://www.musikgalaxie.com/post/people-just-float-von-steel-velvet
Every once in a while, a record comes along that feels both timeless and unmoored, like something unearthed from another century but meant for this exact moment. People Just Float, the six-track cover EP from Breton folk-rock trio Steel & Velvet, is one of those rare releases.
Apricot Magazine
https://apricot-magazine.com/review/steel-velvet-drift-between-shadow-and-light-on-people-just-float/
The selection of material reveals a band comfortable with their lineage. Johnny Cash looms large—not just as influence but as spiritual godfather to this entire enterprise. The comparison to the American Recordings series isn’t mere marketing hyperbole; Steel & Velvet have absorbed that same philosophy of radical reduction, the belief that a good song needs nothing more than conviction and competent hands.
Indie Dock Music Blog
https://indiedockmusicblog.co.uk/?p=32759
While I enjoy everything I share to this blog, it’s not always the case that a release truly captures my imagination. Steel & Velvet’s newest project has done exactly that.
York Calling
https://yorkcalling.co.uk/2025/11/28/discovery-steel-velvet-reinvent-the-cover-ep/
People Just Float delivers an unexpected sound, taking a popular, carefully curated selection of songs into the realms of, if not quite the operatic, then indeed the classical world. The results might not be for everyone (what music is?), but they are, without doubt, astonishing!
The Big Takeover
https://bigtakeover.com/recordings/steel-velvet-people-float-jlr-records
Their minimalist instrumentation and Le Roux’s evocative voice create a sonic intimacy that few artists achieve. It’s music that doesn’t just play—it lingers.
Obliq
https://www.instagram.com/p/DRAiCWBDNtZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
People Just Float isn’t trying to impress, but trying to endure. Like the best folk records, it doesn’t shout to be heard, but lingers quietly in the air, in the spaces between memories, reminding us that in the end, we all float through our stories, carried by sound, silence, and the ghosts we choose to keep.
Harmony Haven
https://www.hitharmonyhaven.com/steel-velvet-drift-through-shadows-and-dust-on-people-just-float/
Steel & Velvet returns with an artistic statement of rare depth in “People Just Float”, a project that transcends the boundaries between cinema and sound.
Melodie Maven
https://www.melodiemaven.com/post/critique-de-l-ep-people-just-float-par-steel-velvet
Finally, with People Just Float, they prove that minimalism, when guided by honesty and craft, can sound monumental.
Indiemusicflix
https://indiemusicflix.com/movie/steel-velvet-people-just-float/
About Orphan’s Lament (1st track from People Just Float):
Steel & Velvet’s interpretation of Robbie Basho’s «Orphan’s Lament» represents far more than mere homage—it stands as a masterclass in musical translation, transforming the late composer’s 1978 piano meditation into something simultaneously faithful and entirely reimagined.
Indie Dock Music Blog
https://indiedockmusicblog.co.uk/?p=32485
With their unique take, Steel & Velvet captures a deep, resonating power that feels both personal and universal, a true testament to their artistry.
The Cage
https://www.cageriot.com/post/steel-velvet-unveils-powerful-reimagining-of-orphan-s-lament-and-connects-with-usto-discuss-the
A perfect hybrid between naked, true folk and something almost operatic in its intent. Two distant worlds speaking the same emotional language. Strong melodies, unpretentious power, and a unique stylistic fingerprint. Beautifully done.
Obliq
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQMgSbhjLwq/
There’s an almost spiritual chemistry between Le Roux and Ballet-Baz. One note at a time, one breath in dialogue in hushed whispers, their communion is naked and pure. The stripped-down performance, just voice and guitar, perfectly captures the duo’s dedication to authenticity, channeling the emerging spirit of minimalism of Johnny Cash’s American Recordings.
HyperHub Magazine
https://www.hypehubmagazine.com/2025/10/steel-velvet-breathe-earth-and-spirit.html
Steel & Velvet have created something rare: a cover that feels like revelation.
Melody Lens Blog
https://www.melodylensblog.com/post/steel-velvet-orphan-s-lament
Finally, the combination of minimalist instrumentation, careful phrasing, and expressive singing turns Basho’s original composition into a moving, intimate reinterpretation, proving Steel & Velvet’s ability to convey profound emotion with simplicity and grace.
Sinusoidal Music
https://sinusoidalmusic.com/reviews/music-reviews/steel-velvet-orphans-lament/
The result is a piece of music that sits somewhere between classical poise and raw emotional truth, capturing the timeless spirit of folk.
We Write About Music
https://www.wewriteaboutmusic.com/reviews/steel-and-velvet-orphans-lament
Gorgeous guitar work opens the release and instantly draws the listener in. As the charismatic vocals enter, they fill the sonic spectrum with charm. The performances are of the highest caliber and stay with the audience long after the music has ended.
FVMusic Blog
https://fvmusicblog.com/steel-velvet-orphans-lament/
Steel & Velvet achieve a rare balance here: respecting the soul of the classic while imprinting their own sonic signature, fragile and powerful at the same time, offering the audience a piece of modern folk music that is vibrant and profoundly human.
Iggy Magazine
https://www.iggymagazine.com/steel-velvet-orphans-lament-une-reinterpretation-poignante-dun-classique-du-folk/#google_vignette
Johann Le Roux’s baritone timbre is a rare gift.
Frequenze Musicali
https://www.frequenzemusicali.it/orphans-lament-il-lamento-che-scava-nellanima-degli-steel-velvet/
About Waiting for some Warmth
The voice of Johann Le Roux immediately transports us into a universe with an increased dimension. The performances of Romuald Ballet-Baz and Jean-Alain Larreur are fine and chiselled. The sound recording is remarkable.
Dominique Cresson (Ouest-France, may 2023)
The cover of “Pendulum” is sober and elegant, almost solemn, yes solemn rock. Powerful. The soundis as stripped down as it is authentic. An authenticity that grips the guts. Rock and folk fans should be charmed by this new group which deserves to be known.
Laura Baudier (Le Télégramme, may 2023)
“In The Fade” shows how through simplicity a more minimalist track can overflow feelings with ease. Steel & Velvet relies on acoustic guitars, clean vocals and the influence of blues-rock to create a unique sound through a delicate and subtle atmosphere. Listen!
Bruna Antenore (Rocknbold juillet 2023)
https://rocknbold.com/2023/07/hot-hot-15-faixas-para-ouvir-nesta-quarta-feira-16/
Steel & Velvet, a gentle Rock’n’Folk power.
Amélie Maguer (Sonadeg n°48, juillet 2023)