At the height of the 2000s indie music scene, Test Icicles emerged as a prominent band heavily featured on MTV2. Hailing from East London, their energetic mix of synths and dance-punk provided little hint of what was to come for Dev Hynes.
Transitioning from the near-new rave sound to folk-infused psych-pop under the name Lightspeed Champion, and eventually into the electronica-tinged R&B of his Blood Orange project, Hynes quickly became one of the most influential figures in contemporary pop and alternative music.
Such a diverse musical journey likely stems from a rich collection of records. When asked about his favorite cult album for an NME feature, Hynes surprisingly sidestepped the post-punk and R&B sounds that define his primary work. Instead, he drew from the vast catalog of French music icon Serge Gainsbourg, selecting the 1987 album You’re Under Arrest as his cherished hidden gem—a divisive record that embraced contemporary pop trends.
“This was Gainsbourg’s last studio album before he passed away,” Hynes explained to NME. “He always adapted to the times; here he dove deeper into dance and tight ‘80s funk grooves. His songwriting was at its most articulate, with surreal and cheeky lyrics. The melodies were meticulously crafted, thanks to some incredible session musicians he worked with later in his career. This is often blamed for why some fans don’t appreciate his later works, which are frequently described as ‘sterile’.”
Whether or not You’re Under Arrest fits the label of “sterile” is up for debate. Yet, Gainsbourg’s final album offers a different vibe than timeless tracks like 1968’s ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ or his masterpiece History of Melody Nelson.
The album weaves a loose narrative about a drug-addicted girl named Samantha and the protagonist’s quest through New York’s dark underbelly. Gainsbourg accompanies this thought-provoking story with a vibrant mix of funk, new wave, and synth soundscapes—complete with a touch of hip-hop, featuring Curtis King Jr. from the E Street Band on the album’s title track.
Gainsbourg was well-known for pushing the boundaries of taste with his provocative lyrics and overtly sexual themes. While earlier hits like ‘I Love You … Me Either’ steered towards unsettling motifs in his later years, his 1984 track ‘Lemon Incest’ with his daughter Charlotte ignited significant controversy with its suggestive overtones.
The loose plotline in You’re Under Arrest does little to enhance Gainsbourg’s reputation after the backlash from ‘Lemon Incest’. As the narrative unfolds, the protagonist’s troubling relationship with Samantha features lyrics about choosing animation over reality before he abandons her due to her struggles with addiction, ultimately seeking a new life.
Capped off with a somewhat awkward “don’t do drugs” message, the fundamental takeaway of You’re Under Arrest feels elusive. Beyond just a platform for Gainsbourg’s more questionable fantasies, it serves as a reflection of a complex artist unafraid to blur the lines between romance and darker themes. Whatever its merits, the album encapsulates Gainsbourg’s career, which seemed unconcerned with maintaining a polished legacy in pop music.
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