Album Review: SebastiAn – Thirst

On the cover of his debut album, Total, SebastiAn was quite famously photographed kissing himself by the illustrious Jean-Baptiste Mondino. Eight years later, the love affair is over – his latest album Thirst sports a cover of Sebastian punching himself. The album’s cover reflects the violence of Gaspar Noe’s video for the title track. All of this suggests a certain tension, but Thirst doesn’t dwell on this vibe. 

The man who once defined French touch doesn’t just drop a collection of bangers, rather Sebastien Akchote unfurls a glorious electro-pop album that shifts and shivers across epic tracks which feature a stellar cast of guest vocalists. The sweet croon of Mayer Hawthorne, Gallant and Sunni Colon work well with the drama of Akchote's cascading synths and driving beats. Elusive and much-hyped rappers, Bakar from London and Loota from Japan get a chance prove why they are attracting a devoted fanbase. Sevdaliza delivers an elegantly refined Euro-pop that you would expect from the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg. Strangely, Charlotte Gainsbourg brings a weird spoken/sung flow that comes at listeners from left-field. Naturally things can only get wacky when legendary rockers Sparks momentarily take control. And, of course, the instrumentals are all bangers, with a tendency towards the cinematic.