Customer Reviews

Vol. 6-Hotel Costes

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am not a music critic. I just know what I like. After enjoying Hotel Costes 3-5, I did not hesitate to pick up #6. I was disappointed after the first lister, primarily due to my unfamiliarity with the tunes. There's alot going on in these songs.

My whole perception changed after repeat listenings. I partiuclarly like tracks 1) In the Black of Night and 2) Reality Check, mainly for the very cool vocal/lyrical delivery. Track 1 is a story of murder, sung with a 1940's jazz vocal style. Track 2's lyrics sound like they were written as a rap, but are delivered much slower. Track 3 is from Tosca's latest cd "Delhi9" If you wind up liking that track, I recommend checking out other Tosca releases.

I love how electronica is evolving from just rock solid beats, to a more melodic form and tying in interesting vocals. The rest of the cd is great also, but I won't comment further, as I really don't like picking apart songs...I like to listen.

Highly recommended. Enjoy!

Hotel Costes kick starts things right off with In The Black Of The Night by Slow Train. A beautiful, soulful, jazzy track with excellent female vocals. We then head off to Reality Check by Stigmato Inc. Not one of my favorite tracks on here but still OK. Gets thing ready for the next track called Metropolitan by Emmanuel Santarromana. An amazing track with the beautiful sounds of the accordion. I'm not sure what language it is but I think it could be Italian. Right after that we get things really moving with Surround Me With Your Love (Mental Overdrive Mix) by 311 Porter. This track is a Spanish/Latin flavored piece with enough energy to set the dance floor on fire yet still having a moody feel to it. It does have the vocals Surround Me With Your Love - I Need Your Love. Magnificent! Right up next we head into familiar territory with Rolf Royce by Tosca Feat. Stephan Graf Hadik Wilnder. I'm familiar with Tosca and everything else they have done and this is another one of their amazing downtempo tracks and fits here excellently! Things slow down a bit on the next track. Morenito (Bossa Mix) by Stephane Popougnac Featuring Clementine is a beautiful Latin/Brazilian flavored track that has enough of a beat to keep you grooving but not heavy enough to really tire your ears. Next up things pick up again with a fun Latin House track. This is an excellent track to get things going. It's just a fun party tune. Snowblind by Minus 8 is fun and moody and groovy perfect for this set. I love the vocals on here. It fits excellenty in the track. Up next is my favorite track on here. Come On (Sket Remix) by Dutch Rhythm Combo Featuring Annik. What an amazing track this is. Great vocals by Annik complementing the delightful beats behind it. AMAZING! Next up we have You Fly Me by Fingathing. This track reminds me of a score from a 60's/70's romance flick. This actually sounds much better than what music would sound like back then but it just reminds me. It gives me goosebumps. Bluesless (Radio Mix) by Spiro Projecto Featuring Josefina Sanner is another jazzy, instrumental electronica track. Very upbeat with minimal vocals. Fun. It has hints of early 90's techno/rave. Up next is The Breeze Is Back (Moonstar Remix) by Zimpala. I have to say this is not one of their stronger pieces. I really love Sugar by Zimpala. I just love that track but this track doesn't compare at all to Sugar. The vocals actually get a little annoying. Luckily the vocals are short and they end pretty quickly. Things start winding down from now on with Party's On by Grand Palace and finally Un Monde Sans Frime by Doctor Jazz's Universal Remedy. The stronger of the latter two tracks is Un Monde Sans Frime. Beutiful Vocals and great music.

Overall Hotel Costes still has it going for it and Stephane Pompougnac still has it going for him and Hotel Costes 6 is definitely a winner. So go get it and listen to it.

SJ
(...)

If you're not a Pompougnac fan now, after hearing this album, you should be. This is the best lounge CD I have bought yet this year and maybe ever.

Hotel Costes Volume 5 was my first Stéphane Pompougnac purchase after borrowing my friend's Volume 3 and 4 which I loved. Volume 5 was a disappointment, especially after purchasing the excellent Nu De Lune CDs (more French lounge with provactive women on the album covers). Vol 5 seemed a little more subdued than the previous Hotel Costes albums, but Vol. 6 brings back that wild array of enchanting music.

The album starts with the jazzy song "In The Black of Night" (which for some reason reminds me of a "Mac the Knife" motif a la soul music) to the sultry "Reality Check" to the upbeat/ Latino/accordian "Metropolitan" to the soothing guitar strums of "Surround Me With Your Love." I could go on and on, but you should just go buy it.

I have every single volume and love them all. However, this one was super disappointed with this last volume that I couldn't wait to receive. The CD Album aesthetics were very tasteful but I also (as another reviewer) fear that the production was more in tune with the appearance of the album rather than its contents and the song sequences do not blend into each other as well as they have in past albums. I however DO NOT recommend this album, unless you want it as part of your collection because you have all the other volumes. I only liked 2 songs on here. The rest was not as sophisticated as in past volumes.

Sensual, sophisticated, eclectic, relaxing and never boring! These are just a few of the qualities that "Costes 6" has to offer! I've been enjoying this album for over 4 months already, and I love it!!!

I've heard people complaining that Costes albums are becoming far too "commercial". Well, maybe, maybe not! But, I really don't mind as long as Costes continues to deliver clever, imaginative and immensely enjoyable albums! Pompougnac really has a sense of style when he chooses the music to mix in his Costes albums! And that's enough for me!

If you are looking for a great mix of music with lots of style and variety look no further, the Costes collection has it all!

"Costes 7" is out already!...I can't hardly wait to get it!

I love the Hotel Costes series and was waiting for this one especially. Although it was enjoyable, it falls short of #1, 4, 5. I suggest you start the series out with these cds first.They are alot more diverse and interesting. Definitely, give it a listen, but don't judge the rest of the series based on this particular cd.

I am a 35 year old, married, white male, US resident. I have not bought a new CD in 14 years. "The same old rock and roll" was boring me to death. I happened to hear this whole CD at a party one night and cannot believe after all these years that I have found a new 'genre' of music to love. This compilation really blew my mind and I am now in the process of purchasing all of the past Hotel Costes CDs. I would recommend this to ayone looking for something new.

Number 6 definitely has punch, and though it does have a reasonably good hook, it lacks the exquisitely immediate hook of the previous Costes albums which grabs your attention and makes you a believer in the first few seconds of listening to them. While still original, its final execution does not compare to the originality of the previous albums. The mix is still groovy and classy, although substituting alot of the sheer, hipper-than-thou elegance of the previous albums with dirtier, jungle beats which never really have been a feature in the Costes series. The blending of tracks in the album is not seamless, although not jarring either. It could have been done better, especially coming from such a master as Stephane.

Altogether, Costes 6 is still a notch above many of its contemporaries, and still succeeds at a brilliant good play. For hard-core Costes fans, the change of pace and rhythm and feel of the album will take some time getting used to. As part of a series, Costes 6 is a step in a new direction and while brave in its selections, it falters in some areas. However, as a stand alone album, it is still a truly masterful piece and a testament to the longevity of this outstanding series.

Don't miss Costes 6.

Stephane has done a good mix. This album does not touch me as much as his previous Costes (1,2,3 and 4) and that's why I give it 4 stars. But the album by itself is definitely 5 stars. All lounge tracks are good especially the tracks by Slow Train, Minus 8 and Spiro Projecto. The album also includes 2 folded posters of a model for your viewing pleasure. If you are looking for a cool mellow mix to go with that gin and tonic, I guarantee this will satisfy your needs.

For sure, this is the best of Costes series. If you (ever) had to make a hard decision, buy this one (then all the rest) !!!