So Frenchy So Chic 2016 ~ CD ~ Various Artists

So Frenchy So Chic, the annual compilation of the year’s best new music from France, is back for its triumphant twelfth edition. How has So Frenchy stayed so fresh? Simple. As the style of French music changes – with an accent on indie one year, reinvented yé-yé the next – So Frenchy changes to reflect the current sound. Right now French music is enjoying newfound popularity around the world, with new tunes, fresh faces and an exciting sense of momentum. That excitement is captured on the 2016 edition of So Frenchy, with a few familiar voices in the mix for regular listeners. France’s ever popular chanteuse Lou Doillon is present as well as longtime favourites Bumcello and Radio Elvis are also featured in a couple of typically effervescent, toetapping tracks. There is no one genre called ‘French’ (despite what iTunes says) which means that across the two disc collection of songs you’ll meet a wide range of musical styles. The one thing every selection shares is quality. That’s the other secret to the success of So Frenchy. Because it is only released once each year, the compilation only presents the absolute crème de la crème.