Camille

Ilo Veyou EMI France***

French singer Camille Dalmais has been attracting attention since she was in the Nouvelle Vague set-up a couple of years ago, but her own work is far removed from their battery of chichi punk and new wave covers. On albums such as Le Filand Music Hole, Dalmais has demonstrated an admirable and winning sense of adventure when it comes to matching her playful, compelling voice with engaging off-kilter pop tunes. Here, on an album recorded in French churches and abbeys, it's largely just Dalmais and that voice working occasionally twee, sometimes conventional (compared with some turns in her back catalogue) but often remarkable songs in both French and English. Her biggest strength remains those nimble, adroit vocal gymnastics, and that beguiling voice adds nuance and sensuality to minimally adorned songs such as Allez Allez, Mars Is No Funand Le Banquet.See camille-music.com

Download tracks: Allez Allez, Mars Is No Fun