At the height of the MySpace era, Julie Budet of Yelle and her friend-turned-producer Jean-François Perrier released "Je veux te voir," an incendiary, hyper-sexual diss track on fellow French rapper, Cuizinier. Before either of them knew what was happening, the duo instantly became famous. As with almost everything at the beginning of the social media age, viral fame was something temporary; listeners from Europe and North America alike were infatuated with Yelle, but naturally assumed that Budet and Perrier would soon disappear, and the next big thing would come along.
Now, 15 years, three albums and three Coachella performances later, it's clear that Yelle is here to stay. Following a six-year break comes L'Ère du Verseau (The Age of Aquarius), which maintains the same addictive dance pop energy that made the duo go viral in the first place, but also showcases the wisdom, introspection and overall evolution of Yelle over the years.
The album opens up with "Emancipense," a visceral, pulsating track with dark techno at its core. Things slow down with the following songs 'J'veux un chien' and 'Je t'aime encore,' as Julie Budet sings candidly about love and loss over intimate synth-infused instrumentals. Next is the intricate dance song 'Karaté'; despite having just one sentence as its lyric, Jean-François Perrier's production and Budet's flow and delivery keep things interesting and insanely catchy for its near three-minute length.
L'Ère du Verseau is a conceptual rollercoaster, constantly picking up the tempo with exciting pop energy and then slowing everything down for moments of honest reflection. Whether it be the groovy, animated moments or the more intimate and vulnerable ones, there is something on Yelle's latest release for everyone to appreciate.
(Recreation Center)Now, 15 years, three albums and three Coachella performances later, it's clear that Yelle is here to stay. Following a six-year break comes L'Ère du Verseau (The Age of Aquarius), which maintains the same addictive dance pop energy that made the duo go viral in the first place, but also showcases the wisdom, introspection and overall evolution of Yelle over the years.
The album opens up with "Emancipense," a visceral, pulsating track with dark techno at its core. Things slow down with the following songs 'J'veux un chien' and 'Je t'aime encore,' as Julie Budet sings candidly about love and loss over intimate synth-infused instrumentals. Next is the intricate dance song 'Karaté'; despite having just one sentence as its lyric, Jean-François Perrier's production and Budet's flow and delivery keep things interesting and insanely catchy for its near three-minute length.
L'Ère du Verseau is a conceptual rollercoaster, constantly picking up the tempo with exciting pop energy and then slowing everything down for moments of honest reflection. Whether it be the groovy, animated moments or the more intimate and vulnerable ones, there is something on Yelle's latest release for everyone to appreciate.