C'est Chic! French Girl Singers of the 1960s

This time last year we were busy preparing for the release on Big Beat International of Nippon Girls, a collection of female vocalists from Japan. It ended up drawing a very favorable reception, especially from hip young club-goers with a yen for something edgy and different to inspire them on the dance floor. For the first issue to carry our new Ace International logo we stray a little less far from home, hopping just over the channel to France, home of the 1960s yé-yé girl phenomenon.

Comprising 24 tracks by 20 acts - Françoise Hardy, France Gall, Jacqueline Taïeb and the country's top girl group Les Gam's are each represented by two titles - C'est Chic! features many of the premier female stars of Gallic pop, plus a few French-singing non-nationals for good measure.

The majority of the songs here are French compositions, but astute listeners will recognize some others in their English language originals. We Got A Thing That's In The Groove (as popularized by US soul group the Capitols), I'm Going Out With The Girls (Barbara Chandler), Laugh At Me (Sonny Bono), Around And Around We Go (Lonnie Jay & the Jaynes), Tiny Goddess (Nirvana), He's In Town (the Tokens) and The Sha La La Song (Marianne Faithfull) are each given a distinctive French twist.

The compilers are currently immersed in the recordings of the yé-yé girls of Italy and Spain with a view to future Ace International releases. Also in the works is a collection of compositions by fabled songwriter Serge Gainsbourg, from whose vast catalogue Roller Girl by Anna Karina, Laisser Tomber Les Filles by France Gall and Non, A Tous Les Garçons by Michèle Torr are among this set's highlights.