French lyrics are sexy, right? Everyone knows that. Air’s Moon Safari. Serge Gainsbourg. Jonny Halliday.
OK, maybe not Jonny Halliday.
But it’s not a huge cliché, you know – and French is unusual in that it lends itself perfectly to both the aggressive (hip hop) and the sultry (pretty much everything else). Draw whichever broad-brushstroke stereotypes you may wish.
By way of proof, I offer Harouki Zombi, whose Objet Petit A has lyrics in English and French.
You can guess which ones prickle the hairs on your neck.
Harouki Zombi occupy the grey, confusing New Band Definition Hinterland, consisting, as they do, of Nina Barnes from Of Montreal and Orenda Fink of Azure Ray. So howl that I’m not giving ‘new’ artists a chance all you like.
But Objet Petit A is such a scintillatingly pleasing song – unctuous and lithe, cute and rampant, sweet and lazy – that I couldn’t give a monkey’s uncle. Excellently drowsy.
Written by Joe Sparrow
