Technically, this is last week’s batch of album reviews, but I put the list on hold until today. Sébastien Tellier, Kula Shaker and Sam Quealy all released new full-length albums on January 30. Musically, they are all very different, but, each one is quite worthy of your attention. Check out the reviews and then follow the links to find where you can stream or purchase them.
Sébastien Tellier Kiss the Beast
Kiss the Beast, the latest full-length album from Sébastien Tellier, opens like electric dreams, with a title track that’s steeped in Giorgio Moroder-style romantic melancholy with an Air-y twist. Think “First Hand Experience at Second Hand Love” meets “Kelly Watch the Stars” and you get the idea. Tellier, though, doesn’t stay there for long. On his first album in six years, the French musician brings together a bevy of collaborators, Nile Rodgers, Kid Cudi and Slayyyter amongst them, for an eclectic collection. While Tellier bounces from synthpop to house to hip-hop, there’s a cohesion on Kiss the Beast. Moroder gives way to Gainsbourg as Tellier turns up the sexy French croon on “Mouton” before segueing into the club tracks. “Thrill of the Night,” the most obvious dance song on here, is probably the least interesting song here. “Romantic,” a sinewy disco number, packs more heat. But, my own favorite track is “Copycat,” a funky tale of stolen identity with dramatic strings and enough tension to make you feel like you’re dancing through a true crime podcast.
Get Kiss the Beast by Sébastien Tellier
Kula Shaker Wormslayer
There’s a lot to love about Kula Shaker’s eighth album, starting with the title. I have no idea what Wormslayer is intended to reference, but, damn, it’s a good image. The song of the same name, which comes 10 tracks into Wormslayer, lives up to that strong visual. It’s heavy rock with Indian influences and killer organ that can make you think of mythical battles and Haight-Ashbury lore at the same time. What’s better is that the whole album is that vivid. “Good Money,” with its promises of money and fame, plays like a cross between Bedazzled (the good version) and Head in my mind. With “Charge of the Light Brigade,” I see vampires. “Broke As Folk” uses the imagery and structure of fables to tell a very real, relevant story for today. The lyrics alone would have sold me on this album, but the music— legit psychedelic rock in the 1960s tradition— raises it up 10 notches.
Sam Quealy Jawbreaker
A few years ago, I saw Sam Quealy open for La Femme here in Los Angeles and was blown away by her set. The singer and dancer, who is based in Paris, performs with all the intensity of midnight on the dancer floor and her latest album, Jawbreaker, does an excellent job of capturing that energy. It’s a little ‘80s dance pop and a little electroclash – like Stacey Q meets Chicks on Speed– with splashes of hyperpop and darkwave. So far, “Strings of Terror,” a dark disco epic, is my top pick off the album. Don’t be surprised if you start hearing it in my sets soon.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Follow on Instagram or sign up for the weekly, Beatique newsletter for updates on new stories and gigs.
Listen to the January, 2026 Beatique Mix.
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