Deep down, we all want to be Francis Lai & Pierre Barouh, scoring the movie ‘Un Homme & Une Femme’. OK, well, maybe not everyone, but if you follow this blog regularly, you probably have a preference for tender, bossanova’d French 60s music. A long intro for this track by Brazilians Continentino & Becker (the latter is pictured), who definitely channel some of that Lai & Barouh satin softness into this song:
One of the most interesting, musically rich EP’s released this year is A Deux Doigts by Swiss-Congolese singer Nelia Masengu. It’s her second EP. She sings in French and lingala, has influences from jazz, R&B and Congolese folk and her lyrics carry tones of love, resilience and joy. I love her almost elastic voice, so soothing too. All tracks are good, this one stands out:
French-American harpist & singer Naomi Greene just released her new album Wounded Hero. There are three songs in French on that album, the most beautiful songs if you ask me. Very vulnerable. In this great interview, she says about Coeur Solaire: ‘[It] speaks to ephemeral summer loves in order to speak to personal emancipation and the thirst for freedom with playfulness. The harp melody builds with delicate melancholy towards the feeling of a blazing sun in the chorus. It’s about wanting to crack your heart open so wide that you could let the whole world in. It’s about wanting to love the entire world, limitless, without being tied down.’
Also very gorgeous, this French rework of the Italian classic L’Appuntamento by Ornella Vanoni (best known from the soundtrack of Ocean’s Twelve):
New singles by two bright young hopes of French pop. Both have a funky bass, a sunshine infection and of course a sultry voice. Nice Trip by Marine isn’t an English track, just so you know. Both tracks could’ve been selected for the Parfait été mix. No real clips yet.
Started this in 2010, and kept using the wrong spelling (l’été parfait, would be right). This is the 2025 edition, with a slight Yacht Rock vibe (Veronique Sanson, Giorgio Lopez, Xavier Polycarpe) and with new names like Anna Majidson and Miki. And ol’ faves like Vanessa Paradis, Yves Simon and Fanny Bloom. There’s even a Dutch closing track! It’s all for summer loungin’, Autoroute du Soleil or wherever you may roam these coming months. Use sunscreen! And take it easy. Bam-bam.
Direct link HERE. Cover, as always, by Wilbert Leering.
‘J’ecris des chansons triste dans ma chambre’, Laudry writes on her Spotify page. Interesting: she left out the ‘triste’ part on her Instagram. There is very little I can find about this singer. I bumped into her via a Spotify playlist. I really dig the chilled vocals and the almost understated music – as if she wants us to dance, just not that euphoric. If you like what Angèle is doing, Louve, Coline BLF and Marine Quémeré, you’re in for a treat.
Nepo-babies, sons and daughters of famed French musicians, we know a thing or two about that. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou Diollon, Vanille Clerc, Calypso Valois, they were all featured here. Billie’s dad is Mathieu Chedid, a.k.a. -M-. Her mom’s Céline Bary, who also sings, but mostly acts.
Billie’s first EP was released in January, and features new wave-popsong with a heavy, New Order-like bass. Mostly uptempo. But when she brings it down, it’s just gorgeous:
We’re a year without Françoise Hardy (who passed away June 11th, 2024), and to keep her in mind, production company La Souterraine asked several French artists to cover a Hardy track. The album, Hardie, has an interesing motto: ‘ Qui ose sans se laisser intimider’, ‘Who dares without being intimidated’.
Quite bold, to cover a Hardy song. The best songs on this compilation, in my opinion, are the ones that try to add something new, stay away from the original. Add 80s dance beats to Message Personnel, for example:
I don’t think the goal was to better the song, but to add something personal. That worked.
Most names on this compilation are new to me, ‘cept for Gisèle Pape and Maud Lübeck. The latter covered a song from Hardy’s 2018 album Personne d’autre:
Cool and very catchy new single by the trio from Montréal, with some soul stabs and a whole lotta sultriness. Late night satin sheets soundtrack.
Summer’s just around the corner, so French electropop duo Charlotte Fever (Alexandre & Cassandra) are right on time with this short but effective, 80s inspired track. Haven’t worked out the lyrics just yet, ‘recto verso’ means ‘double sided’ :