Dimitri From Paris
Sacrebleu

Dimitri from Paris is a genius. 

This was the first thing I thought after listening to that gem which is "Sacrebleu". It was '96, and the french touch phenomenon was in its infancy. Now I no longer think he is a genius (especially after the disappointing compilations of recent years) but my judgment on that album has remained unchanged.

The "Prologue" immediately clarifies the ideas. "A new departure in language instruction for English-speaking people who want to talk to and be understood by jazz musicians, hipsters, beatniks, juvenile delinquents & the criminal fringe": it's a declaration of intent. Dimitri aims to bring a bit of his healthy nationalism and his style to an international level, and he does so by using vocal samples of the '50s and '60s French popular song, diluted in lounge, trip hop, house, jazz atmospheres, and tropical rhythms.

The sound of "Sacrebleu" is very innovative, although one constantly feels the retro element, which, if you will, constitutes the backbone of the work. But here "retro" does not consist of a slavish revival of pre-existing models (see the recent trend in dance music of shamelessly drawing from the '80s repertoire): this is "retro" dosed to perfection, making it chic. And basically, Dimitri's real goal, beyond the healthy nationalism and various nonsense, was precisely this: to create a sound with style and great class. And he succeeded admirably.

Yes, because after the "sit back, relax and close your eyes" with which the prologue ends, you enter another world, a microcosm: a sophisticated party by the sea, where you can sip drinks in the company of very stylish girls, where you can smoke fine cigars (or sniff coke, as is customary in high society!). In the background, of course, the music of Dimitri from Paris.

You are greeted by the engaging tropical rhythm of "Sacre Français", which puts even the less accustomed to the environment (i.e., the genre) at ease. It is followed by the fantastic lounge of "Nothing To Lose". Among the various jazz interludes, you almost forget that this is an electronic music album. And indeed, two beautiful house pieces, "Dirty Larry" and "Free ton Style", arrive promptly, where certainly the style that characterizes the entire album is not lacking. It continues with pleasant and well-chosen trip hop episodes ("Un World Mysteriouse", "Encore Un Terlude") and jazz-inspired tracks immersed in a tropical environment ("Le Moogy Reggae", "Une Very Stylish Fille", and "Un Woman's Paradis"). Then a hint of Marseillaise followed by the phrase "Paris sera toujours Paris!": and who imagined a different "Epilogue"?

All in all, this is also a fun album: Dimitri proves that he doesn't take himself too seriously, moving with spontaneity and a certain ease between typically house "frivolities" and music of a very different depth.

If "Boulevard" by St. Germain is recognized as a forerunner of the french touch, I consider "Sacrebleu" to be the same.

Bien sûr, I also love Boulevard madly.