Le Volume Courbe: Planet Ping Pong (Duophonic Super 45s)

Possesser of a stellar CV, with scores of guest appearances and collaborations, Planet Ping Pong is the first LP by Le Volume Courbe, aka Charlotte Marionneau in five years. With credits alongside Kevin Shields, Hope Sandoval, Simon Raymonde and most famously as “scissors player” for Noel Gallagher, Primal Scream / Paul Weller associate Brendan Lynch is in the producer's chair for the disc.

Spurred into returning to solo work after successfully defeating cancer, referenced in the percussive whir and clang of MRI Song, the France born, London via Brighton chanteuse alternating between French and English vocals, whimsical spoken word piece Fourteen Years centred around a guitar figure redolent of Poptones by PiL opening the LP with the latter. Less a set of lyrics than random vocal interjections, Two Love is brilliantly offbeat alt. pop, hinging on Noel Gallagher's Serge Gainsbourg-style bassline and rhythmic undertow supplied by percussion ace Lascelle Gordon.

How Bjork might sound when backed by Sufjan Stevens on acoustic, Bag Of Excuses which features a goosebump moment chord shift to the bridge through is the highlight of the set. Surrounded with a halo of deep reverb and John Cale-style violin part, Rêve Réveille is atmospheric gothic pop, similar in feel to the dark hued psychedelia of the title track.

Phil Spector standard To know him is to love him is dream pop beamed in from outer space, while Daniel Johnston cover Mind Contorted, re-imagined as a duet with much-missed legend Terry Hall is delicately framed with lap steel and tambourine. Duffy and Mr Seagull also pays tribute to a late musician, as the track features a beautifully played piano part by the Primal Scream keyboard ace.

Patchy in places, but with an appealingly maverick spirit, Planet Ping Pong is a frequently inspired melange. 3/5