Roxane

Chère Roxane,

you must think I'm mad, trying to contact you as desperately as I have the past week. You might feel like I'm actually putting a gun to your head, like on this picture from your MySpace-site. Let me assure you; I'm not mad. Okay, just a little.

The reason of my madness is not only your appearance, but your music as well. I think you out-charmed Camille when you covered her song 1,2,3 on the steps of the Louvre. Paris En Bouteille, the first song on your MySpace-player, warms places in my heart I never thought could be warmed. Your lyrics are on the weird side (at least, the lyrics I can understand), but also fairy-tale like, poetic, rich of emotion.
I look at your pictures, your videos, and I feel a bit sad. Serge should've seen you. He would've smirked like only he could, and wrote you some passionate songs filled with double-entendres. He would've loved you're only sixteen. He would've let you play the Lolita-card stronger than you are doing now.

Did you send some songs to Benjamin Biolay? Or Katerine? Burgalat, maybe? You're like a diamond in the rough, these guys know how to make you shine. I'm sure. I've heard the new Charlotte Gainsbourg-album, I'm confident you can make such a wonderful, plush album as well.
Would you do me one favour? Let me post Paris En Bouteille on my blog? Please?

Bisou,

UPDATE: Roxane responded! She was busy with her exams, that's why it took a few days. She writes: "I'm very touched by your messages. It's so sweet, and you are very funny sometimes ! I have seen your blog site and It was a big surprise for me to seeing my photo ! Thank you for all these compliments." She won't send me the mp3, though (*tears start to well*), but I can live with that. I think. Sigh.

UPDATE 2: Roxane K - Paris En Bouteille

Barbara

Italian bossajazz-master Nicola Conte was the guy who introduced vibes-player Pasquale Bardaro to singer Barbara De Domincis. The latter sang on Conte's debut-album Jet Sounds, Bardaro was formed by the European Youth Jazz Orchestra and Quartetto Moderna (who made an album under Conte's wings). In 2004, Barbara and Pasquale made one 12" for the very stylish Schema-label, that featured one French song, the bossa-tinged Ballade de Nuage. It's also on their 'cinematic downtempo'- debutalbum, that sports a funny version of jazz-standard Waltz for Debby. The Cabaret Noir-site is still working, but it's unclear if the duo is still together. Still, Ballade de Nuage is a perfect song for sultry summer nights.

Cabaret Noir - Ballade de Nuage

Emilie (3)

In case you haven't seen the video for Emilie Simon's Fleur de Saison, FS-fan ErosLane send me a handy link (quicktime), and wrote: "I discovered this and was hypnotized by both the song, and the phenominal visuals and art direction. It certainly was a pleasant surprise in my day. Hopefully you'll enjoy it as well!"



Video: Emilie Simon - Fleur de Saison
Audio:Emilie Simon - Fleur de Saison

Isabelle

Dance, dance, dance to the radio, Ian Curtis once said. Isabelle of French electrorocktrio Prototypes twists that slogan to Danse sur la merde qui passe a la radio. Currently on tour in North-America (check their site for dates), Prototypes is referred to as Lio meets The Violent Femmes, which is pretty apt. Vive La Fête is a more current comparison, Isabelle's lyrics are just as childlike. Prototypes make glorious, fluorescent pop: can you stay seated when Danse Sur La Merde blares out of your speakers? The song is taken from first album Tout le monde cherche quelque chose a faire (on Minty Fresh), but a new album was released last January.

Prototypes - Danse Sur La Merde

Emmanuelle

Fuzzy guitars and a cello; if balanced, this could be a winning combination. Briton Emmanuelle Cadoret (née a Saint-Brieuc) knows how to keep things balanced - she started out as a circus artist. Apart from the circus, she performed self-penned songs with her sister Maud, but also formed a band. Her alt.rock-style is reminiscent of Francoiz Breut's (who's from Bretagne as well), her voice is easily compared to Françoise Hardy's.
In 2002 Emmanuelle released her first selfproduced album. Last year, Détachez vos ceintures came out, from which La Nuit, Le Chien is taken. Emmanuelle isn't a big name in France, but I certainly think with songs like this one, she ought to be. Hear more songs here.

Emmanuelle Cadoret - La Nuit, Le Chien

Charlotte

Keeping up to date with what promises to be the Record of the Year (Charlotte Gainsbourg's new album 5:55, featuring collaborations with Air, Divine Comedy and Jarvis Cocker), here's Charlotte's MySpace-site, with a snippet from her new album. Which is nice.

Sandie, Karolina

Still surfing MySpace.com, and still bumping into great bands and artists. They differ, though. Take Sandie//Trash for instance, who calls herself a cross between Gainsbourg and Les Rita Mitsouko on acid. Judging from the pictures on her official site, her live-shows are as chaotic and intense like a Peaches-concert. Her music is sample-based and computer-generated, but without guitars, bass and drums you can still make a racket. Her coverversion of Jane Birkin's Jane B. is sexy in a twisted way.

Sandie//Trash - Jane B.
Jane Birkin - Jane B.

Czech band Miou Miou have a more gentle approach, but are not afraid to turn up their guitars as well. I love the supersweet voice of singer Karoline, perfect for their catchy, sunny popsongs. Influences: Deerhoof, Velvet Underground, Gainsbourg and France Gall. Stereolab is a reference that sprang to mind the easiest. Miou Miou started in 2003 and released an ep, a single and, last May, a full album called La La Grande Finale. I've ordered that one via their site, but I'm curious if I will ever receive it.

Miou Miou - A l'Été de la Saint-Martin '68