Somewhere between a postmodern version of French chansons, delicately balanced minimal synth and crisp house numbers, Yolande Bashing has carved out his own niche over the past few years. The enterprising artist from Lille writes kind of pop songs, but somehow also not. Albums like this year's "Disparaître" boast so many influences they can't be pinned down under one heading, and so land elsewhere, evoking contradictory atmospheres again and again which on balance still complement each other perfectly, making the whole thing a real work of art. At times they come in the form of disillusioned synth mantras, but then with a punk spirit and the charming atmosphere of smoky dives in which Bertrand Belin and Stromae raise their glasses solemnly. Bashing's signature sound is restrained yet expressive, typically French yet primed for a global audience. By the time he's with us in September at the latest, this audience should be at his feet.
