The moods and colors of Malian kora virtuoso Ballaké Sissoko and French cellist Vincent Segal’s “Chamber Music” are […]

REVIEW

Various Artists

Le Pop Volume 6

The last decade has seen the rise of French electronica and disco: one doesn’t have to try hard to conjure up their favorite dance groups or DJs like Daft Punk, Dimitri From Paris or Air. The French may have become synonymous with thumping beats but there’s a whole other French sound that has been equally fruitful, the chanson Française. This is not the French music your beatnik parents grew up with though. The sixth incarnation of the French compilation “Le Pop” shows just how far and wide the French song has come with sixteen tracks from across the French diaspora, from Paris to Louisiana. There’s an uptempo and feel good vibe to the selection, with but a couple songs showing a more melancholic side (Fredda’s ‘Fenêtre À Collioure’ is one). For the most part it’s a sweet, sassy and wild ride in an open convertible with the tunes blasting.

La Patère’s ‘Chocolove’ is a whimsical, jaunty pop tune with sweet female vocals and banjo. Olivier Goulet’s ‘Alors Il Y’a La Lune’ is a smokey and vocal-driven song with Mali-esque blues guitar. Caracol’s ‘L’amour Est Un Tricheur’ is a catchy reggae-blues track with chocolate-rich female vocals. Jérôme Minière’s ‘Avril’ is a sensuous male-female duo that reminds me of Thievery Corporation’s ‘Lebanese Blonde’. Féloche’s ‘La Vie Cajun’ is the most “urban” song here, a scratch-laden and swamp-infused track with a dash of masala. Emmanuelle Seigner’s ‘Dingue’ is one of the collections more infectious songs with upfront vocals and a memorable chorus.

If there’s one influence that permeates “Le Pop 6” it would be Manu Chao: you might not be able to pinpoint it but you can feel his influence. Of course there’s also a smattering of Serge Gainsbourg, Django Reinhardt et al. If you’ve been sucked into the vortex of French dance music and want a breath of fresh pop-vocal air, “Le Pop 6” is a welcome treat of French chanson. And don’t worry about the words, you’ll still find yourself humming these songs. –John C. Tripp

Tracklisting and videos at the break