Since emerging in the late 1990s, French combo
Tahiti 80
has been gamely exploring different subgenres ranging from breezy, low-key indie pop and synth-based sophisti-pop to guitar-heavy indie rock. There are hints of Tropicalia and '60s sunshine pop in their sound, too. They offered up a set of unplugged renditions on 2019's
Fear of an Acoustic Planet
. Released in early 2022,
Here with You
is almost the opposite of its predecessor. Like most bands hoping to make a record in early 2020,
were forced to change their approach when the COVID-19 pandemic made in-person gatherings almost impossible. Pivoting to the virtual approach, the bandmembers rehearsed and recorded their parts remotely under the traffic direction of producer
Julien Vignon
. Given its genesis during a period of dire global tumult,
is impossibly upbeat, both rhythmically and emotionally, with the glossy sheen of a mainstream dance-pop record. Standouts include the sweet and quirky "Zoo" and the stripped-down "Riddles & Rhymes," along with the overwrought, yet surprisingly likable "Vintage Creem," which plays like some sort of strange boy band amalgam. ~ Timothy Monger