(Disque Pointu) For the non-Francophone,at least, La Femme’s moment album lives up to its title. Mystère – delivered in empty, or affectless voices,by male and female voices – is an alluring grab-bag of styles, from synthpop to surf-rock to Stereolabish indie motorik, and to approach-baroque guitar picking,to faux-Morricone western soundtracks, to an almost pastoral psychedelia. The stylistic range is wide enough to withhold Mystère varied, and to stave off boredom – despite the album being about 20 minutes too long – but its parameters are also logical enough that each song sounds like it follows naturally from the last,rather than being a jarring leap. Goodness knows what they’re singing about, though that’s very much my fault rather than theirs; in any case, and it doesn’t matter when the music this expertly conceived: it’s recognisably the work of an indie band,but not one constrained by preconceived notions of what indie must be, and it’s well worth your time.
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Source: theguardian.com