The French and British indie outfit Frànçois & The Atlas Mountains release their newest record, Banane Bleue today on Domino. It's the sort of release that doesn't try too hard to charm, and, because of that, charms tremendously. The brand of music here is easygoing, laidback but not lazy, and wildly melodic.
"The Foreigner" is complex enough to suck a listener into the rest of the album, while the breezy "Coucou" sounds a tiny bit like early Air and Sondre Lerche. "Julie" and "Holly Go Lightly" are catchy trifles, reminiscent of Belle & Sebastian at their lightest. "Revu" is slightly heavier, the keyboards anchoring this one to a sort of New Wave tradition, while "Dans un Taxi" is even better. On this one, the bouncy bits have been replaced with electronic textures not unlike those on a Pulp cut, or a slow number from MGMT.
Frànçois & The Atlas Mountains seem to have a knack for employing a light touch, and almost masking how good their songs are. Rather than be cute about it, the band are more interested in conjuring up a set of moods, moods wrapped around catchy hooks and simple melodies. Amid all that, the band pursues the sort of indie-pop that's genuine and genuinely fun.
Banane Bleue is out today on Domino.
[Photo: Oihan Brière (Studio Zômpà & Zitü)]