Deee-lite
World Clique

Sometimes tidying up your record collection can bring pleasant surprises. Dusting off old records that once thrilled us but may not have the same effect today. Or the exact opposite, records covered in dust that deserved more attentive listening...

Here we have Deee-lite, whom I had previously categorized as a superficial one-hit group, and nothing more. Encouraged by some videos circulating online showcasing the trio's technical skills and compositional abilities, I've decided to delve deeper into their work. I preface this by saying that my initial sensation, almost 20 years later, is of a cheerful and unpretentious album, and it should be listened to with this attitude. For instance, in my bar, it always impresses, and often people ask me about them before reaching the well-known single.

"World Clique" was released in 1990 after several attempts by the trio to break through. The band members are a peculiar multiracial mix: DJ Dmitri comes from Ukraine following his parents' flight and subsequent request for political asylum. In New York, he meets and starts dating Kierin Magenta Kirb, known in the underground scene as Lady Miss Kier, who becomes the group's vocalist. Towa Tei, a DJ of Japanese origin, later joined them, becoming the only one of the three to have a fairly (but very interesting) notable recording career.

The album, which achieved enormous success in the United States, is driven by the single "Groove is in the Heart", which was in turn driven by a hilarious and psychedelic video. It's the groove they manage to create with samples, jazzy parts, a lot of funk, and more than decent vocals that make this album appreciable. Besides the single, there are many noteworthy tracks, and, for my part, I highlight the dance floor track "Try Me On... I'm Very You" supplemented by fantastic horns and piano. "Good Beat" is not my favorite, yet it was one of the four number ones in the American charts. The same goes for "The Power of Love." "Smile On" slows down, but trombones and xylophones make it fun and very danceable, maybe even for a tight embrace... "What is Love", the B-side of the single, leans towards synths that sound a bit dated to today's listener. However, the result is interesting, thanks to the phonemes from the lady at the microphone. The title track of the album seems negligible to me, while the following "E.S.P", the third single, rich in syncopation and sighs, makes me want to move. I skip track nine because you all know it, and I still find it brilliant and magnificent.

"Who Was That" continues in the same pleasant vein as the rest of the album, as do the last two tracks, with the final one being instrumental. But the song that struck me the most is the very first one because I think a better introduction couldn't exist, a prologue with a capital P. Sorry for the track-by-track, for the length of the review, sorry if you don't like it, but this time I really got carried away. It's a pity it didn't happen 20 years ago when I was young and full of energy. Salut!