We Are Enfant Terrible – Explicit Pictures

The debut from this French electro-indie trio comes across like a vaguely grumpy, morose version of Bis. Boy-girl vocals, shuffling disco beats, cheesy casio synths, and fuzzy power chords are all present; but the mood is for the most part oddly subdued. Whatever their name suggests, We Are Enfant Terrible sound less like mischievous youths than mildly disaffected thirtysomethings.

This could be forgiven if Explicit Pictures had plenty of hooks, but few of the tunes here are catchy enough to hold the attention. Occasionally the rhythmic side of things compensates: Flesh N’ Blood Kids at least bounces along in a pleasingly disco-inflected, Gossip-y kind of way, which is diverting enough. At 45 minutes, though, the record outstays its welcome. If Bis taught us anything, it’s that this kind of thing should be punchy, energetic and concise; in those departments, Explicit Pictures comes up short.