After a jazz adventure with Bill Frisell and others, Chantal Acda returns with her trusted band and a new sound. Her fragile, dreamy pop gains a more powerful, pop-oriented edge without losing its characteristic emotion and depth. For her new album The Whale, produced by Chris Eckman of The Walkabouts, she adopted a collaborative approach: a true group album inspired by her musicians' stories. The result is an intense, captivating blend of creativity, connection, and melancholy.