irmCharlotte Gainsbourg’s 2006 album 5:55 saw her collaborate with Jarvis Cocker, Neil Hannon, Air and producer Nigel Godrich. This time on IRM she chooses only one muse, Beck. IRM is the French acronym for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the equipment used to save her life after a brain haemorrhage following a water skiing accident.

Musically, Beck introduces loops, strings and syrupy treated vocals while Gainsbourg switches between a breathy French whisper and nervous English recital. One suspects that the Beatles White Album is high on both protagonist’s playlists, with double-tracked vocals, reverse loops and glass onions.

At its best, the collaboration yields delights such as the poppy Heaven Can Wait, remixed by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor for its single release, and Time of the Assassins and the delicious waltz In The End.