Gérald De Palmas claims that he wanted to "give all the songs on my new album an equal chance." And the singer, songwriter and composer has been true to his word, packing each and every track on Sortir with the same hit potential. The single Au bord de l’eau heralded the arrival of Sortir this spring, giving fans a taste of what was to follow with its cinematic horns and lilting reggae beats.

De Palmas has delivered on this early promise now, serving up a mix of Tropicana (Rose), Cajun influences (Fais de ton mieux) and brilliant ballads on which he passes from the intimate to full Cinemascope at the flick of a switch (Qui s’occupe d’elle, L’Ange perdu, Sortir.) Other tracks such as Mon cœur ne bat plus, Dans une larme, Sous la pluie and Indemne prove his formidable talent as a melodist. It's hard to believe given the impression of full wrap-around sound, but the only point on Sortir where De Palmas was not physically alone in the studio was when the American-Swedish musician Eagle Eye Cherry teamed up with him on Pandora’s Box.

Apart from Eagle Eye's contribution, De Palmas made his album in total autarky, employing the same techniques film composers use to embellish their soundtracks. De Palmas's bass booms with full THX force as digital orchestras swell in the background, electronic effects adding extra atmosphere together with snatches of dialogue from black-and-white films. This is De Palmas as fans know and love him, but also a De Palmas elevated to an entirely new realm. With Sortir the French singer, songwriter and composer states his ambition to be recognised as more than a simple hit-maker. Sortir is his bid to be acknowledged in full Technicolor.