La Femme-Le podium #1

Listening to their first EP, La Femme’s music takes many shapes, none of which are completely in focus. “Sur La Planche” (“On the Board”) hurls down gigantic waves of surf guitar with ease and style. “Françoise” is a faceless sonic sensation, while “La Femme Ressort” (“The Woman Emerges”) is a snapshot of a rainy Paris side street. The band is at its most driving with “Telegraphe,” a French new-wave rave up, filtered through The Ventures’ back catalog. All in all, Le Podium#1 walks the line between erotic avant-pop and lo-fi surf rock, creating a record that’s at turns flippantly light-hearted or aggressively dark.