The French have always had a thing for glum new wave, and newcomer Sydney Valette belongs to a noble lineage that stretches back to Taxi Girl and Trisomie 21. Track names like 'Enfant bourré' ('Hammered kid') or 'Apathie généralisée' (you can work that one out) hardly augur music of sunshine and smiles, but these are balanced out by lighter tracks that channel an ’80s vibe. Valette doesn't so much sing as incant his lyrics, which demonstrate a knack for describing banal situations in a mesmerising way. One to watch.
