Yé-Yé Of The Day: Maël (Finally!)

I had been trying to find Maël's new album, Kung-Fu Et Autres Cirques De Bord De Mer since it came out in January. The review in Les Inrockuptibles intrigued me with its comparisons to Florent Marchet and Mathieu Boogaerts, but only yesterday did the French pop gods finally deliver it to my ears. While Maël's sound is far more subdued than Marchet's heady, sublime pop-infused chanson, I can't stop listening to "Tatouage De Hippie" with its irresistible gypsy rhythm and subtle electronic noise. Kung-Fu as a whole is a fine slice of the unabashedly beautiful folk-pop the French so excel at these days.

Also, if you haven't heard Florent Marchet's Gargilesse, seek it out! He has to be one of the most talented solo artists in France today. Maybe I'll post something of his in the near future.