Hotel Costes, Vol. 7: Sept [Import, Limited Edition]

Stéphane Pompougnac | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 4, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Limited Edition
• Label: PSCHENT MUSIC
• ASIN: B0002PN5NW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,493 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

As this is the 7th release in the Hotel Costes series, you might think you know what to expect from DJ Stephane Pompougnac's turntables. But 2003's Hotel Costes 6 provided a dose of the dark and unexpected, a trend which happily continues on Costes 7. The usual oh-so-classy, jazz-tinged dance fare, driven into the ground by a thousand downtempo DJs, hasn't been totally expunged. But grittier tracks and a deeper commitment to a thumping beat make for a sound that's not so easy to ignore. Minor chords and heavy basslines from songs like Dolphin Boy's "Don't Stop (Dublex Inc Remix)" along with memorable contributions from Mark Rae and Mo' Horizons ensure this record won't fade into the background like another layer of cocktail party décor. The further Pompougnac gets from the swanky, but sterile hotel lobby, the better it is for listeners who prefer dancing over lounging. --Matthew Cooke

Product Description

French DJ/Artist St‚phane Pompougnac's seventh installment in this popular series featuring the best tracks heard at France's premiere club, bar and cafe. The Hotel Costes series serves as a ''tastemaker'' (read: trendsetting) for the rest of the world. His penchant for choosing the very best music for this series burns bright as he incorporates tracks on this outing from Rodney Hunter, Trinity FM, Bobby Hughes Combination and others. Feel free to luxuriate with the sounds and splendor of the most relaxing place in Paris with the upper crust. The ''C"stes'' brand is forever linked with the ultimate in quality and is renowned with patrons as the home of luxury in Paris. After all, the overriding theme is ''all things in excess.'' --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Return to Form!, October 1, 2004

By 

bordersj2 (Boston) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hotel Costes, Vol. 7: Sept (Audio CD)

I agree with Larry - I think the Costes series had been in a bit of a slump over the past couple years. Volumes 5 and 6 just didn't get me and volume four was okay but... "I Have a Cat"? Hmm. Still, I respect that there are many people out there that feel that 5 and 6 may have been the bee's knees and that's the beauty of the series - the diversity and experimentation of some of the most cutting edge tracks in the trendy French music scene. For those that may be new, Hotel Costes spans 7 volumes, 8 if you include Stephane Pompougnac's own release "Living on the Edge", and they're on the Wagram label - the same label that gives you "St. Germain Des Pres Cafe", "Paris Lounge/London Lounge/Berlin Lounge" etc., "Buddha Bar" and several others.

But to me, this one was likea return of form. From the great opening trak, a remix to "Lavish", you get a good musical vibe. Sure, there's a bit of house in this one like the others but the feel of the cd is different, a bit sexier, more experimental and diverse! Fort Knox Five's "The BRazilian Hipster" gives you a funk feel, Bobby Hughes Combo has that jazz feel in "Clive the Runner and Club Des Belugas have a good party cut with the remix to "Hip Hip Chin Chin" that was pretty popular this summer. Mo Horizon's "So Ma Guisee", my favorite track on their New Bohemian Freedom cd, was an excellent inclusion to this compilation. Great guitar, great singing, just a song. And there are other tracks here that were fantastic - I especially dug Claude Monnet's cut too. For the life of me I cannot recall the classic Musica Popular Brasil track that they sampled for Takumi Kato's "Tone"... at the tip of my tongue and at home. But I do know you can hear the original on "Bossa Nova & Samba" done by the Gold Compilation series.

I Definitely recommend this! It is one of my favorite of the Costes series and represents a good evolution of the musical styles displayed in the earlier releases and the last two. There's something for everyone (I hope!). It isn't without fault though... I prefer Audiopharm's Brazilectro 6 as it was a bit ahead of Costes 7 and Costes 7 had some of the tracks from that cd on this one. And while I dig Thievery Corporation's "Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes", it too has featured quite often on other compilations, same with Schema's Paolo Fedreghini and his cut "Please Don't Leave". Meanwhile there were some cuts I did NOT fall for, like Rodney Hunter's "Work That Body" and the remake to the old Simon & Garfunkle "Sound of Silence" was a bit of a head-scratcher. But the feel of the CD is great and it's a great return to form. Check it out! And if you dig it, check the other Wagram releases but be very careful of overlapping the songs.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stéphane is BACK, ba-by, September 30, 2004

By 

L. O'Brien "mileslarboy" (Albany, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hotel Costes, Vol. 7: Sept (Audio CD)

Almost skipped this one. Got #3 first; was so good that I got #2--loved it. So I got #1: Excellent. #4-kinda weak, but figured they can't ALL be gems. #5 and #6 so uninteresting that I almost didn't get #7. But I'm glad I did. THIS IS A GREAT DISK. Not a bad song in the bunch. GREAT GREAT GREAT.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Directions, Moods, and Shades - A 'Must Have', January 29, 2005

By 

Africa Pilot (Canada/ Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hotel Costes, Vol. 7: Sept (Audio CD)

Every six weeks, trudge thru Heathrow and check the HMV looking for a aural upper and finally on the last trip thru - Hotel Costes #7 Beautifully packaged and well thought out, can this man do no wrong? Climbing thru 10,000m with numero sept glowing in my headset, I can say the definitive answer is "Not yet"
Smoother transitions, less juxtapositions, phat beats and lush arrangements. This is not musical 'wallpaper'. People's heads will turn, lost in mid-conversation they will later ask about it. Tell them!
Like trying to disect a great meal, one can't really single out tracks. The mix is a journey. You either enjoy the ride or you don't. It's been seven rich and varied trips so far and each one keeps getting better. To those of you, like me, who've given up on music since The Jam ceased, the Costes series has lead to further explorations of many more artists. Artists invisable in realm of 'popular music' Extremly satisfying in their own right, the Hotel Costes series is also a wonderful portal for further musical exploration.
Accessable to the neophyte, satisfying for the connoiseur, a portal to re-indulge your love of music. Grab it!