10/10: Best French albums of the decade (5)

Jan-Willem, he of Caleidoscoop, likes his French music a bit more underground. Though he feels les filles fragiles too. Pictured is Francoiz Breut (no. 3).

01. Encre - Encre (2002)
About the number one of the French list I didn’t had to think very long. Encre opened my eyes with his atmospheric, warm electronic music. Sultry singing and whispering, a beautiful cello, nightly electronic music and sometimes larded with hints of trip-hop. Breathtaking stuff. Definitely a Gentil Garçon!

02. Sylvain Chauveau - Nocturne Impalpable (2002)
Actually also the number two just popped into my head. I consider Sylvain Chauveau one of my longtime French heroes, starting with his noiseband Watermelon Club. Solo he focus more on melancholic and cinematic music. On this lovely album he brings a fantastic ode to the night.

03. Françoiz Breut - Vingt A Trente Mille Jours (2001)
Françoiz has such a seductive voice and combines that with excellent Americana. She’s helped out by Joey Burns (Calexico). I already knew her voice from old Dominique A. (her ex-husband) records, but this solo album was the first one I heard and completely fell in love with.

04. Arca - Angles (2004)
One of Sylvain Chauveau’s many other projects (On, Micro:Mega, 0). Arca is inspired by music, cinema, literature, photographs, daily occidental sounds. Arca uses warm electronic sounds, mixed with organic instruments and rainy guitars to draw melancholic landscapes. It’s dark and beautiful.

05. Frédéric Truong - Apres L’été (2006)
Ex-Leitmotiv musician who solo creates poetic chansons on piano, gitaar and additional instruments mainly played by guests. The warm melancholic atmosphere he draws is very intimate and beautiful. It’s music that is very close to my personal feelings.

06. Dominique A - Tout Sera Comme Avant (2004)
Although Dominique Ané’s new cd “La Musique / La Matiere” of this year is also very good, it still has to grow on me. “Tout Sera Comme Avant” (his 7th album!) already did so (for years) and it’s just one of his best albums this decade (and “Remue” of that one before). Nice chansons with post rock and electronic influences. And that lovely melancholic sounds streaming right out of his mouth.

07. Nouvelles Lectures Cosmopolites - Moon (2000)
The industrial project of Julien Ash changed a lot since it started in 1989. On this album he creates the perfect hybrid of all the things he did: neoclassical music, avant-garde, pop, trip hop and a little industrial. It’s probably the most accessible thing he ever did and also the one that could sweep you of your feet.

08.Pascal Comelade - Musica Pop (2004)
The master of toy music made his best albums long time ago, but also his new works are of high quality. “Musica Pop” is one of those unique albums that take you to the magical world of your bellybutton: intimate and compelling.

09. Klimperei - Le Tchak (2004)
Klimperei is a band combining avant-garde, toy music and chamber music and remind you of Yann Tiersen, Pascal Comelade and Nino Rota. Strange rock is another word for it. Great music I would say.

10. Coeur De Pirate - Coeur De Pirate (2008)
Aaaaaaaaaah, she’s so cute and lovely. Like a magical ice-cream she slowly melts in your mouth with her bittersweet sound.