French electropop trio Yelle have a lot to celebrate with the release last month of their third LP, Complètement fou. For one thing, vocalist Julie Budet’s voice is still dizzyingly fresh seven years after the band’s debut album. For another, the group is still singing entirely in French despite their international following and commercial pressure for an English-language album. And speaking of commercial affairs, you may notice that Complètement fou contains Yelle’s most airtight pop to date; that’s because Dr. Luke produced it. Luckily, he doesn’t interfere with the group’s cohesive sound, something these essential tracks demonstrate in spades.
“Ce Jeu”
Yelle may be three albums in, but the first song from their first LP still represents the band pretty perfectly. Giddy synths and a whistled melody crowd around Budet’s effervescent vocals in “Ce Jeu,” giving it a schoolyard vibe that’s also complimented by the lyrics. And though some fans learn French just to follow the band, you don’t have to. The gist of the song can be summed up in the latter half of the chorus, where “Tu aimes me manipuler / Et j’aime en faire autant / Nous sommes tous deux victimes / De ce doux jeu d’amants” translates loosely to “You love to manipulate me / And I love doing the same / We’re both victims / Of this sweet lover’s game.”
“A Cause Des Garçons”
Yes, this track is a cover. But that doesn’t mean that the song’s steady ramp-up into each punchy chorus is any less delicious, especially when you throw in the lyrics. “A cause des garçons / On met des bas de nylons / On se crêpe le chignon” translates roughly to “Because of boys / We put on tights / And have a cat fight.”
“Chimie Physique”
The title of this track says it all – “chimie physique” means “physical chemistry,” and the shimmering synths that characterize the song communicate just as much as the lyrics. And even if you have no idea what Budet is saying, this cut makes it clear that French really is the language of love.
“Ba$$in”
Buzzfeed may have declared 2014 the year of the booty, but Yelle didn’t get the message. And thank god they didn’t, because “Ba$$in” (“Pelvi$” in English”) is a hilariously bumbling ode to the framework beneath Nicki Minaj’s favorite body part. It’s also an expertly-produced electropop banger that shows off Dr. Luke’s influence on the group’s latest album. Long story short, even silly lyrics like “J’aimerai draguer ce garçon la dernière fois je l’ai fait fuir / Apprends moi, apprends moi, apprends moi, apprends moi” (“I want to hit on this guy, last time I made him flee / Teach me, teach me, teach me, teach me”) will have you making “des ronds avec ton bassin” (circles with your hips).
“Florence en Italie”
Just because Yelle specializes in fluffy, uptempo fare that centers on boys, boys, and more boys doesn’t mean that they can’t rock out an electropop ballad as well. “Florence en Italie” proves just that, with a softer feel and Stendhal syndrome-influenced lyrics about the beauty of Italy. Basically, you can picture anything that hangs in the Uffizi to put yourself in the mood for this one (just as long as you don’t forget to check out the boys while you’re there).