A record that's virtually impossible to describe in words – partly because it's got a trans-historical, trans-spatial sort of vibe – effortlessly filtering together the best roots of older French pop music, and combining them with a range of underground pop elements that reach out to the farther reaches of the globe! Jean Emmanuel Deluxe sings lead – often with a raspy style that's partly sung, partly spoken – but never in a Serge Gainsbourg mode. Instead, he gets lots of spacey support on keyboards, echoey drums, and other instrumentation that feels like reworked 60s modes – ala Stereolab, High Llamas, or Pearlfishers. Yet the record is nothing like any of those references at all – even though Sean O'Hagan provides some guest work – as does Bertrand Burgalat, Misawa Masanori, and drummer Werner "Zappi" Diermaier of Faust. Titles include "Lushy Life", "The Girl Who Was Talking In Reverse", "Claire", "La Gourveneur De California", "Hollywood Parties", and "Comme Une Video Star". (Rock, French) LP, Vinyl record album

A record with a folksy style at the core, but one that comes across with a really hip hybrid of influences – a lot more like something from early 70s Saravah Records than you might expect from the image of a Celtic harp on the cover! Kristen Nogues does play that instrument, and sings alongside it in Breton – but she's supported with modern, light arrangements that include guitar, piano, flute, cello, violin, and bassoon – all used in ways that are unconventional, and certainly not folksy – almost bringing a New York modern music quality to the record – ala ECM or other labels' recordings of the time. The voice and harp are incredible in this setting – and titles include "Ar Gemenerez", "Hunvre", "Enez Rouz", "Ar Bugel Koar", "Hirness An Devezhiou", and "Pinvidik Eo Va C'Hemener". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A record as revolutionary as the French year in which it was recorded – an amazing batch of late 60s grooves from Parisian pop madame France Gall! The set's upbeat and jaunty, with plenty of fuzz – almost a psyche pop sound, with lots of groovy guitars that make the album sparkle with plenty of razor-sharp notes! Gall's vocals are as wonderful as ever, and almost sound a bit more sinister in this setting – thanks to arrangements by Alain Gouraguer and the great David Whitaker. There's plenty of France Gall classics here – including versions of the Serge Gainsbourg tunes "Nefertiti" and "Teenie Weenie Boppie" – plus "Toi Que Je Veux", "Made In France", "Bebe Requin", and "Avant La Bagarre". LP, Vinyl record album

A sleazy film, but one with some really great music from Francis Lai – the composer better known for his mainstream contributions to classics like A Man & A Woman and Live For Life! In any setting, Lai displays an amazing genius for spare tunes that hit a lyrical chord and a warmly sentimental mode – never one that's sleepy or drippy, but just the right balance of sounds and rhythms to convey a tremendous amount with very little. Lai plays a fair bit of keyboards here, lightly electric, and relatively spare – but not as much so as on some of his other 70s soundtracks. Titles include "Une Soiree Orientale", "La Vierge Anna Marie", "Emmanuelle Au Hong Kong", "Le Theme D'Emmanuelle", and "La Maison De Rendez-Vous". (Soundtracks, French) LP, Vinyl record album