The fifth album from Fránçois Marry and friends demonstrates why the band have come so close to a crossover on previous releases. On the other hand, it also demonstrates why that crossover is sadly unlikely to occur anytime soon.

The wholesale embrace of Christine & The Queens last year may have indicated a growing fondness for French pop, but it was down to English-language lyrics as much as the cut of her songs. Solide Mirage is full of beautiful indiepop shimmies and breezy Afro high-life feints and dashes, which will attract a certain kind of alt music fan. But many of them won't get past the lyrics.

A pity, because the likes of Grand Dérèglement, Perpétuel été and Bête Morcelée are packed to the gills with graceful grooves and immaculate, slinky confidence. francoisandtheatlasmountains.com