Readymade FC

First of all, it should be made clear that this is not a new release by Vancouver shoegazers Readymade, but rather the second album of exotic pop landscapes by France’s Jean-Phillippe Verdin — an established producer, composer and DJ across the spectrum of eccentric lounge pop. Verdin’s material is not easy to pigeonhole, and is by no means another stab at Air or Bertand Bugalat-style French retro-kitsch. There is definitely a cinematic quality to Babilonia, and the mix of analogue instruments, vintage sound effects and modern digital noodling make for an engaging listen to say the least. Verdin himself sings on many of the tracks, and his smooth delivery (in English) works wonderfully. But it’s the guest vocalists who really make Babilonia a treat. With Feist’s gentle cooing on "Snow Lion,” David Sylvian’s dreamy delivery of "A Fire in the Forest” and the cabaret cool from Yael Naim on a couple tracks, it really starts to broaden its wings. At times a little too quirky for its own good, Verdin’s Babilonia is still a unique and solid album