Amazon.co.uk Review
If there were an award for the album with the most appropriate title, surely
Telepopmusiks
Angel Milk would be a top contender (possibly pipped to the top slot by
Metal Machine Music. But this record is miles away from Lou Reeds deliberate atonal noise, and would therefore win any award thanks to its delightful content. Anyone familiar with the template set by
Genetic World will be surely chomping at the bit for the goodies on display here. All the familiar elements are in place- the candyfloss-light beats, the grandeur of the orchestral washes, the hints of discordant electronica and clatter- but wrapped up in the most laid-back accessible tunes you could want. The use of three vocalists- the Kelis-like Angela McCluskey, rapper Mau and new addition Deborah Anderson whose breathy tones lend an extra sheen to her songs- only adds to the appeal. Comparisons to Airs
Moon Safari are inevitable, but a closer relation would be Zero 7s
Simple Things. Even then, theres diversion here, like the perfect should-be Bassey showtune of "Love Almighty", or the deceptive ending of "15 Minutes" which lasts that long, but is about a minute of tune, followed by 14 minutes of silence. Indispensable.
--Thom Allott
CD Description
The cover art for Telepopmusik's ANGEL MILK--an enormous panda bear playing a bugle in a mist-shrouded forest--is nearly worth the album's price by itself. But the strange, dream-like sensations evoked by this image are carried through on each of the record's 15 tracks. Like their countrymen Air, Telepopmusik gives a fresh twist to French electronica, located somewhere between ambient, trip-hop, and space-age loungepop. Cool synths, pulsing rhythms, and various samples and digital treatments make for a breezy, sophisticated outing.
Comprised of soundscapists Fabrice Dumont, Christophe Hetier, and Stephan Haeri, Telepopmusik creates a sonic canvas that is plenty seductive, but it is the addition of guest vocalists (including Angela McCluskey) that really distinguishes the release. In particular, the slinky, reedy voice of Deborah Anderson stands out on the thumping, post-disco "Into Everything" and the ballad "Close". Elsewhere, Telepopmusik are by turns symphonic ("Nothing's Burning") and trance-inducing ("Last Train to Wherever"), but no matter what the mood, this French outfit has made an instantly alluring album of21st-century pop with ANGEL MILK.