The Sssound of Mmmusic

Bertrand Burgalat's name and voice may sound familiar to fans of fellow French artist Air. Not only did he sing on a remix of "Sexy Boy," he toured with the band as its bassist. Burgalat's romantic pop shares much of the same palette as Air, drawing from '60s movie soundtracks, space age French pop, and exotica. But, unlike many other lounge revivalists, Burgalat's debut relies on organic instrumentation rather than electronics. And with his lengthy experience as a producer, The SSSound of MMMusic projects a pure, vintage feel. In addition to Burgalat's occasional crooning, guest vocalist Joanne Colan lends her sensual voice on "Sunshine Yellow," one of three bonus tracks on the U.S. release. Elsewhere, he finds time to explore drum'n'bass, bossa nova, and classical arrangements. If Burgalat spent as much time on his own music as he does on producing other artists, there's no telling what he'd come up with. ~ Kenyon Hopkin