Since Justice, Surkin, Daft Punk, M83, Phoenix, Sebastian Tellier and of course even Uffie - who is Parisian only by adoption, but still in my mind belongs to Paris - I've actually have been wanting to write about the "new" sound coming out of the French capital for a while now.
I never was a huge fan of Phoenix because personally I find they sound a tad too commercial and fruity, but I always loved Tellier, M83, and the big electro sounds of Justice and Daft Punk. So, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the members of the latter two bands are producers of Jamaica. Makes sense. I can hear how they all influence one another. Jamaica's kinda like Phoenix but better, grittier. And of course, it's a whole country, not just an arid city.
The funny thing about all of these acts is that today their music defines the sound of Paris, and yet it is such a hodgepodge of references and influences. the English vocals for Phoenix, Jamaica and even M83 set them apart from previous French bands who have often been highly influenced by American pop culture, but tried remaining French, and stuck to singing in their language. Also, the new bands openly use references that are purely American in nature, like the bikers/rockers in "Short and Entertaining", or they espouse international cues. It would seem that the music scene in France is clearly affected by globalization, but all those pop influence are no longer taken at face value as in the past, or merely borrowed, they are now owned and mixed with a highly European electro sound, and other odd trimming, to create something unique and new. I'm a fan! The infectious hooks and melodies, the highly intriguing lyrics, and awesome video have me wanting to dance, like constantly! Check out this perfect Sunday morning treat; here is Short and Entertaining by Jamaica
