Record Makers
If it feels like Sébastien Tellier already just released an album he kinda did. Half a year ago the French pop explorer delivered Confection a record that embraced the world of film music but unfortunately left a lot to be desired. Luckily for fans Tellier fares better on his followup L’Aventura .
Knowing the suave Frenchman’s love for a good album concept it’s no surprise that his sixth proper studio effort comes with quite the wild one. This time it involves Tellier’s attempt to rewrite his childhood in Brazil.
Not surprisingly L’Aventura takes on a tropical feel with Jean-Michel Jarre Philippe Zdar and Carioca music cult figure Arthur Verocai all lending a hand. Standouts like “Sous les rayons du soleil” “Ambiance Rio” and the epic 14-minute-plus “Comment revoir Qursient?” come loaded equally with cuíca samba-styled rhythms and luscious string movements all of which get filtered through Tellier’s abstract pop lens. There’s also plenty of his synth-loaded electro-funk to keep things familiar while a cosmic spaced-out thread runs throughout.
It’s an interesting twist on the Tellier template to be sure and he plays the role of tropicalian ambassador convincingly even if he’s singing in French. It all makes L’Aventura a step back in the right direction and an album that definitely lives up to its title.
