In 2013, after the intergalactic success of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Phoenix four shrugged off the pressure that came with their new-found pop expert status. With Bankrupt !, the fifth album produced by Philippe Zdar, the Versailles gang dived into a sea of synths, letting the guitars off the hook somewhat. The very eighties flavour of the pieces, a little bit Bowie/a little bit Prince, doesn't mean they feel any less contemporary. With Ti Amo, Thomas Mars's band has created a sunnier record than ever before. With its cheesy micro synth (the title sets the tone), its sugary pop choruses, its shades of ItaloDisco, its cosmopolitan lyrics and its funky rhythms, this latest release from Phoenix looks set to provide the soundtrack to summer 2017. But for all that, behind the joyous, hedonistic facade, the group retains a sense that the world is in trouble. From the off, this is an album which will work wonders for body and soul. © MD/Qobuz