Alka

Blow Up Doll’s Mordi treats us to a guestpost on the new Alka album:

Alka Balbir, French actress and now singer (don’t all the best ones do both?!) and probably model by the look of her, has released her first album – imaginatively titled ‘La premiere fois’. Songwriter supremo Benjamin Biolay has had his very talented hands all over the album, writing and producing the majority of it. Alkas breathy voice is very reminiscent of 70s Jane Birkin or 80s Isabelle Adjani – essentially that means breathy, almost orgasmic.
Combining the noughties equivalent of Serge Gainsbourg (Initials BB?!) with her vocals has resulted in an album that at times sounds like it could actually be a Serge and Jane lost classic – ‘Qui je suis’ could have been lifted straight from the ‘Di doo dah‘ album.
There are a couple of songs where Benjamin features – his duets can be a bit hit and miss (see Vanessa Paradis ’Profite’ ) but the ones on here work really well.
‘D’un amour a l’autre’ could easily slip on the end of Adjanis ‘Pull Marine’ album – one of the most wonderful parts of this song is her ‘Blah blah blah, blah, blah’ lyrics – sexy, naughty with a tongue firmly in her cheek. On a couple of the songs I wondered if she was actually about to pass out from an overwhelming orgasm – her voice achingly trying to keep up with the beat – just check out ‘Te satisfaire!’ As well as the more obvious comparisons to the Gainbourg girls – the album sounds current- there’s a sedated electronica vibe, so it feels fresh yet familiar
The final track is Alkas brilliant cover of France Galls song ‘Les gens bien éleves’ – very cute and a great way to end her first album.
If you like her – and let’s be honest, what’s not to like here? I’d definitely recommend seeking out a song not featured on the album called ‘Affaire classée’ that she recorded with Chateau Marmont.
I hope Alkas ‘premiere fois’ wasn’t painful for her- it was a pleasure for me!

Alka – D’un amour a l’autre