The Belgians just have a knack for electro-pop and can get away with levels of fromage that British (or American) bands simply cannot, and there's no shortage of it on this album. However, this is countered by a certain darkness that contrasts with the upbeat bouncy rhythms, resulting in an album that's accessible without surrendering all of its interesting elements on the first listen.
There's an urgency and darkness (perhaps more a case of shades of grey, but these things are relative) and a breathy bluster to 'Je Respire' while 'Il y en a' is has a sultry swing to it, albeit in a Stock, Aitken and Waterman sort of a way. Elsewhere, 'Parking 58' starts out threatening to go a bit Portishead, but then the synthetic drums and bouncing keyboards kick in and it's more Whigfield than anything else (musically, at least. The vocals are, thankfully, a lot less irritating), and 'Le Saut' steps things up a notch and is a genuine standout, even if it does sound like Depeche Mode circa 1985.
The flute line on 'La Montagne' is rather unexpected, but wafting over a stomping percussion, it works remarkably well. It's because of moments like this that I rather like this album: it's full of surprises, yet still very much a coherent document in terms of style. Yes, it's poppy, but not cloyingly so. The last track, a cover of 'Imagine' still manages to surprise too, sounding like an electro Young Marble Giants.
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I certainly can't comment on the lyrical content, although this perhaps goes in their favour. Not only are the vocals rendered simply another instrument to my ear, but the slightly helium-tinged vocal style, full of French inflection and joi de vivre renders the whole album - even the bouncier, cheesier moments - somehow more acceptable. For all of this, Bix Medard gets my approval.
www.myspace.com/bixmedard
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