5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best of French Dance Music in 1999, January 19, 2000
This review is from: You My Baby & I (Audio CD)
Every year the french disco house movement that came to prominence with Motorbass and Daft Punk comes up with at least one masterpiece. Alex Gopher's debut definitely is that masterpiece for 1999. Loaded with everything that makes current french music so appealing (filter effects, fuzzy electronics, fun disco rhythms, sweet melodies) it puts most emphasis on the FUNK. This is most apparent in the wonderful "Party People" and the equally great "The Child", but it runs through the whole album, along with a wicked sense of humor. Yes, this music is fun. Do yourself some good and buy it.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Taking the French disco-funk sound one step further, June 5, 2000
This review is from: You My Baby & I (Audio CD)
It seems the shock waves from Daft Punk's scene-changing sound, and their "Homework" release in 1997, continue to spread to these shores. To the long list of quality imports like Cassius, I:cube, Stardust, and so on now add Alex Gopher. Perhaps put him at the top of the list, because by adding a good dose of P-funk to the Parisian disco sound (courtesy of Bootsy Collins and others) , he's released the strongest album of the bunch through 1999.
The combination of sounds is immediately apparent on the opening track "Time," announcing their broadcast to listeners from "WEFUNK" radio. With a smooth flow and catchy little keyboard blip, it's the tone setter for the album. "Tryin" is another hit, working a simmering disco beat before a subdued, filtered hook bursts free. "The Child" features a Billie Holiday sample at the forefront and gives it proper respect, while leading to the excellent, "Ralph & Kathy." His friends from Air lend a hand (and vocodered vocals) to compose an electronic ballad between a spaceship and his female computer. Treated poignantly enough to outweigh the possible corn factor, this is the oddest yet most compelling track on the album.
After that brief hiatus, it's back to the funk, on "With U," adding electro voices for a Tron-meets-George Clinton sound. Following the mellow, "06 10 98," comes the track released as a video here in the States, "Party People." Frankly, this is too obvious and generic a party song to be listenable (much less memorable). The disc finishes out with two respectable tracks.
Everything old is new again; take the sound of the `70's, give it a modern rub and a sprinkle of Daft Punk, and you end up with a diverse collection of singles and one of the better albums of the year. If you don't support artists like this, don't complain about the increased manufactured club drivel you'll get in the future.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cool Jazz, and Funk Trappings = French House Fun!, July 22, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: You My Baby & I (Audio CD)
The laid back BPM of Acid Jazz is usually a big snoozer for me - and much the current French house tends to wear with attitude. However this I certainly did not mind. Any composer that can borrow Billie Holiday's vocals to create a haunting musical soundscape amid an urban hip-hop beat is taking risks that such genre DJ's simply won't. If you buy this, you certainly won't be disappointed.
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