Tags: Balearic Disco

Review: On his fourth exploration of the world of global "Adult Oriented Rock", French crate-digger Charles Maurice focuses on the period between 1977 and '86. That means a greater emphasis on synthesizers, dusty drum machines and the kind of sparkling melodies that would once have drifted from daytime radio at an alarming rate. There's much to enjoy throughout, from the dewy-eyed synth-soul of Arlana's "When You Call My Name" and the breezy boogie of Omega Sunrise's "Too Hip", to the sparse Balearic bliss of Isabelle Mayereau's "Orange Bleue", the flute-laden easy listening hum of Fernando Toussaint, the sax-happy '80s sleaze of Special Occasion's brilliant "Flyin' To Santa Barbara" and the jaunty Latino jazz-funk of "Mellow Out" by Pacific Dreams.

Review: Four new originals from French Berlin-based singer and JD Stella Zekri, whose low-range, buzzing vocals are lent happily to a selection of cloudy electronic Latin beats. Produced and co-written by Ed Longo, it draws heavily on the post-zouk and disco styles endemic to the 80s French underground; our choice bit is the offbeat boogizm heard on the sonic ponderance: 'Pourquoi (Why)'.

Review: In a move towards soulful French electro-funk from the duo that brought us 'Caipirnha', comes the latest new single from DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson. The two producers here bring together a vast cast of musicians playing everything from Moog to claviers, culminating in a texturally rich afro-soul single that urges us to "hold our horses" ('Pas Si Vite') in these troubling times.

Review: The follow up to 'Sun Circles' is here: 'Jour De Fete' (French for "day of celebration") is a sweltering slab of festive inner city disco of the highest order. Flip the record for a mighty, extended dub by cult hero Conrad McDonnell of Idjut Boys fame. 'Nuff said.

Review: As he has done three times before, Gallic crate digger Charles Maurice has dipped into his vast record collection and offered up a killer selection of French disco-boogie sounds. The 13 assembled tracks are mostly obscure and uniformly superb, making picking individual highlights an infuriatingly tricky task. Our favourites change daily, but we're currently enjoying the tropical disco brilliance of Dwight Druick's cover of "Georgy Peorgy (Disco Version)", the synth-sporting electrofunk cheeriness of Serge Delisle's "Germaine (Remix)", the thrusting P-funk hustle of Acayouman's "Funk Around" and the near Balearic warmth of "Braziliana" by Aries. As the old expression (sort of) goes, Maurice has once again delivered all killer and no filler.