Sebastian Tellier – ‘Confection’

It’s skillfully realised, but feels like a soundtrack missing a movie

When Tellier emerged circa 2001, he was pitched as a kind of outsider protégé of fellow French sophisticates Air, to whose former label he remains signed. He’s never really looked like attaining actual stardom, but evidently retains independent freedom: his sixth album is going to be a tough sell to most. Tellier does burst into voice early on, for ‘L’Amour Naissant’, but if you crave the edgy croon of popular past efforts – cult fave ‘La Ritournelle’, or his showing in Eurovision 2008 – hard cheese, because ‘Confection’ is otherwise all instrumental. Plangent pianos evolve into swelling orchestras and legendary afrobeat drummer Tony Allen keeps tasteful, not very Tony Allen-like time. It’s skillfully realised, but feels like a soundtrack missing a movie.

Noel Gardner

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