GUILLAUME & THE COUTU DUMONTS Vinilo y CD

Review: It's been some three years since Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts released his last bits for Mule Musiq, but now the Canadian minimal house mainstay makes a welcome return with this first outing for the Yoyaku crew. In many ways Yoyaku carries the torch for the scene this chap helped pioneer alongside the likes of Akufen and Mossa, so it's good to see things come full circle, and to note that he's lost none of his production flair. 'First Bump' is resplendent with expressive synth lines and an understated groove, while 'Upsalla' happily dives into a more twitchy, tangled kind of construction which will keep DJs more than happy in the extended blend. 'Victory Lap' shakes things up with a leftfield dub drop which typifies Coutu-Dumont's instincts outside the standardised framework of house music.

Review: 'Les Gans' out on Musique Risquee, is the first of the two singles taken out from the stellar album 'Face a L'est' by Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts. On the A side, you'll find the original version of 'Les Gans', a beautifully crafted moody house tune. It's melancholic but none of the less cheerful tone provides the listeners with a feeling that tomorrow might not be so dark after all. 'Les Gans', with it's afro jazz sensibility, represents the underlying theme of Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts album Face à l’est. Organic drum patterns topped by a persistent saxophone line (played by [iks] saxophonist Sebastien Arcand Tourigny) result in a complex composition that unfolds slowly, leading the minds into profound hypnosis. On the B side, Audio Werner (Hartchef, Perlon, Hello Repeat) takes us deep into his foggy mind. Known by the public for his versatility, it's the first time he dives so deep into the dubby side of things. Setting the mood with the most massive bass ever, he then proceeds to reveal all the elements slowly over an amazing 12 minutes of pure delight. As an answer to the original melodic line, Audio Werner brings in the saxophone of Hayden Chislom, collaborator of Burnt Friedman and member of Root 70. The result is pure pleasure and Musique Risquée is now happy to share it with you