There was so much press about this when I was in France - Charlottes father was clearly a legend there, and much seems to be expected of his daughter with Jane Birkin.

Its fortunate then, that she drafted in a dream team to help produce this album - her first since ‘Charlotte Forever’ in 1986. French electronica duo ‘Air’ produce the album, and lyrics are contributed by Jarvis Cocker (ex Pulp), Neil Hannon (Divine Comedy) and Gainsbourg herself.

As you’d expect - the whole album is very gentle, laid back affair - beautiful lush soundscapes, coupled with delicate vocals (reminded me of Carla Bruni on the French spoken tracks).  The lyrics are nicely sung, mostly in English with two or three in French - the style is very breathy, close production.

Stand out tracks for me are the excellent (and very Air inspired) - AF607105 - written by Cocker and telling the story of a transatlantic flight, the lyrics are unsettling and the delivery melancholy but somehow still very beautiful.

Fly over, your lifetime, never touching down
My Heart is breaking, somewhere over Saskatchewan

We wish you all a very happy flight
This is a journey to the center of the night
And the inflight entertainment’s out of sight
Here on AF607105

The first single from the album is ‘The Songs that we sing’ (at least it is in France) - a slightly more upbeat number, with twee sounding xylophones and a dramatic string line that carries a beautiful vocal written by Cocker and Hannon.

These songs that we sing
Do they mean anything
To the people that we sing them to
People like you

I saw a photograph, of a woman in a bath
Of hundred dollar bills, if the cold doesn’t kill her, money will…

Its a very cool, very mode-ish album - but I have a feeling the production and wrting style will sound fresh and up-to-date for many years to come. I hope Charlotte Gainsbourg doesn’t leave 20 years before the next album. In the interviews I watched in France, she said that she waited this long to ensure that she released something her father would have enjoyed and respected.

Serge Gainsbourg would be happy to hear an album this good.

Buy Charlotte Gainsbourg at Amazon

Buy 5:55 by Charlotte Gainsbourg at iTunes