Artist: Etienne de Crecy
Album: Super Discount 3
Label: Pixadelic
Release date: 19/01/15
De Crecy is back with the return of Super Discount de trios, more than ten years after the second album was released in 2004 and almost 18 years after the first instalment of 1997 which, those of you old enough (like me) will remember, was unavoidable on the clubbing airwaves at the time.
House DJ and producer Etienne De Crecy was a key figure in the rise of Parisian funk with compatriots Daft Punk, Bob Sinclar, Star dust et al. Back then Monsieur de Crecy, with a complement of different artists including Alex Gopher, hit us with the truly seminal Tout Doit Disparaitre (Everything Must Go) and the anthemic and my personal favourite Prix Choc (Special Price). This sultry tune is beautiful, spacy, sexy and dubby and takes me back to the time I fell in love with French house music. And the video is a total trip. I remember being hypnotised by the video for this sexy track in total wonder! Imagine…a judo fight filmed from various angles with a hi-speed camera and played in slow motion to this marvellous French disco track.
With the release of the third album, again I've fallen head over heels with De Crecy as he delivers the moody yet sophisticated flavours of house-Francais. De Crecy takes me back to the French invasion of quality dance music that really began to take over in the late 90s. The Super Discount release was at the forefront and, with this latest edition, sits together as a truly artistic album, encompassing some beautiful French “disko”, quirky chillout vibes and lovely slow groovers. From the onset the album reminds us the French Touch is back and begins with a knockout electro tune Night (Cut the Crap). De Crecy has again collaborated with a number of different artists to create this latest masterpiece, however now his work is backed mainly by vocalists including the delectable Del La Soul's Pos & Dave on the explicitly entitled WTF, a robotic funky track with electro rap harmonies.
For me, the stand out track of the album is the collaboration with old time countryman Alex Gropher is the smooth track Smile; this is a fresh and breezy number with one of the funky basslines De Crecy is notorious for. Similarly to Smile, the next track on the album, Sunset consumes listeners with dreamy melody and vocals backed by Tom Burke. More highlights of the album follow with a funky track appropriately entitled Amazing, Follow, starring the cool and sultry vocals courtesy of American artist Kilo Kish, and Hashtag My Ass - certainly an anthem in the making. Such exceptional guests on this album bring so much to the bargain of such relevant and contemporary sounds that are essential Etienne; once more De Crécy has stylishly fashioned a party album of depth.
Vive la France!
WORDS | Ella Redwood
Tracklist:
01. Night (Cut The Crap)
02. You feat. Madeline Follin (Cults)
03. WTF feat. Pos & Dave (De La Soul)
04. Hashtag My Ass
05. Smile feat. Alex Gopher
06. Sunset feat. Tom Burke
07. Amazing
08. Follow feat. Kilo Kish
09. Love
10. Family feat. Baxter Dury
11. WTF (beta instrumental)
12. Sunset (beta instrumental)
