Richard BodinThe French moustache gang is back with a new album.
If you don’t already know them, allow me… Deluxe is a silly, crazy French band who doesn’t believe in sticking to a particular genre. They all sport pretty moustaches and practice a happy fusion, blending everything they like: funk, jazz, bossa nova, rock, pop, hip-hop—you name it, they do it. They’ve been together for fifteen years now, and they celebrate their band life, with all its ups and downs, in their seventh album: Ça Fait Plaisir (which roughly translates to It Feels Good).
A Breath of Fresh Air
In a world that feels increasingly unsettling, Deluxe’s music is often a breath of fresh air. The band’s sound blends Pietre’s funky guitars and Pépé’s jazzy horns with Kaya’s groovy basslines and Kilo and Soubri’s tight beats and Latin rhythms, while Liliboy’s smiling voice carries an energetic flow. Behind the moustaches, the smiles are bright—and it shows in the music. Even a stiff bloke with two left feet like me will get carried away by the beat and break a dance move or two—away from the public eye, of course.
Beyond the festive feel of their music, Deluxe sometimes tackles deeper subjects. In “Michael,” for example, Elisa Pascale (a.k.a. Liliboy) sings about breaking away from gender roles while still worrying about that annoying biological clock. “Oléga” explores how sometimes we need to take a step back to better appreciate our relationships and embrace them with more passion.
A Rap Sensibility
Deluxe has a fascination with rap music. Even though they don’t fully lean into it, the influence is clear. “Microdosing,” for example, features a very groovy beat, with Liliboy delivering an energetic flow. “De Ton Côté” is more melodic, with its chilled and uplifting instrumental, while Liliboy swings a half-sung, half-rapped flow that leans toward hip-hop. This is nothing new. A couple of years ago, the singer said: “We don’t always lean into that musical style on our albums, but the tracks we’re most proud of are often the ones that come closest to it… and that lend themselves to collaborations! (…) We have a rap sensibility, and these features are part of the group’s identity.”
Indeed, they’ve collaborated with a wide range of international hip-hop artists like IAM, Beat Assailant, and Nneka, to name just a few.
Music as a Shared Celebration
Deluxe is the kind of happy, festive collective that celebrates music and thrives on sharing and jamming with anyone willing to join the fun. Ça Fait Plaisir honours this tradition and features a few great collaborations. French artist Twan Tee appears on “Caliente,” a hot mix of reggae and hip-hop in Spanish and English. On “Windows Open,” Brazilian artist Luizga joins Liliboy in a lovely duet sung in both Portuguese and French over a chilled bossa nova backdrop. The standout collaboration is with American rapper Mr. J. Medeiros on “Where the F*ck is Jason?”—a track that channels Beastie Boys energy, with heavy guitars and a punk-driven flow.
Reaching a New Level
On this new album, Deluxe showcases the broad extent of their musical influences with talent and confidence—a sign of a band reaching true maturity. While much of the album is built around their signature blend of funky guitars and festive horns, a few tracks really stand out. The excellent “TTT” leans more into pop-rock, while the beautiful “Fugue Pour Saxophone En Do Mineur” is an instrumental piece hovering between jazz and chamber music.
Conclusion: Ça Fait Plaisir… a lot
As far as I’m concerned, the album’s title couldn’t be more fitting—it really does feel good. More than just another album, Ça Fait Plaisir feels like a celebration—not just of Deluxe’s journey as a band, but of music’s power to bring joy, connection, and a bit of lightness when we need it most. It’s a record that invites you to dance, reflect, laugh, and maybe even cry a little—all in the span of a single listen. Whether you’re a longtime fan or discovering them for the first time, Deluxe delivers a reminder that music, at its best, is meant to be shared. And this one? This one’s a pleasure.
