Sebastien Tellier

The fact that Sebastien Tellier has titled his third proper album Sexuality is not surprising in the least; this is the same Tellier, after all, who instructed us to listen to his 2001 debut, L’Incroyable Verite, only by candlelight and pictured the eccentric Parisian cavorting poolside at some luxury playboy mansion. What is surprising, though, is how solid and gratifying Sexuality is. Produced by the golden-helmed half of Daft Punk (Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo), the album delivers 13 synth-coated jams that are leaps and bounds above the standard electro fare, not to mention a whole lot sexier. And not just dirty sexy, although there is plenty of that here too, but all kinds of sexy: innocent sexy ("Divine”), cool sexy ("Look”) and even sad sexy ("L’Amour et la Violence”). Soundtracking this bumping and grinding is a strict diet of vintage synthesisers and drum machines, keeping the album surprisingly warm as Tellier croons his sexual innuendos over complex and additive synth pop designs. And while a theme such as sex may seem plastic on the outside, Sexuality is all heart on the inside, as well as one of Tellier’s finest moments.