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St Germain
Track List:
1. Rose Rouge
2. Montego Bay Spleen
3. So Flute
4. Land Of...
5. Latin Note
6. Sure Thing
7. Pont Des Arts
8. La Goutte D'Or
9. What You Think About...
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St. Germain - Tourist
(Blue Note)
The year 2001 should see the world exiting out of one phase of humanity into the Age of Aquarius—wherein social, political, and mental facilities will involuntarily lend themselves to change and reinvention. Evidence of this phenomenon is expressly apparent in music, especially that of French producer/DJ/conductor Ludovic Navarre, known to most as St. Germain. His latest release (and first in five years), Tourist, is a compulsively orchestrated collision of dub, soul, funk, blues, and jazz, held together with elements of deep house, salsa, and world beat rhythms. That could be a little much for the average consumer, but what makes St. Germain so appealing to the ear (and to Blue Note, a label not known for signing electronic acts) is his natural tastefulness. Never too heavy, experimental, lethargic, or frenetic, Tourist straddles the happy medium of accessible sounds from a number of refined and respectable broods.
St. Germain sets himself apart from other electronic producers with his conviction to using live musicians. He does, in fact, license a few samples from outside sources, but, for the most part, the music is fashioned with the help of his own sextet, whom he records and digitally rearranges to meet his standards. From the never tiresome swing drum loop on Tourist's first track "Rose Rouge"—which grooves for seven minutes on a hypnotic bass line—to the dub infused "La Goutte D'Or," Navarre melds technology with tradition to create a sound that can only be St. Germain. In this vein, reggae guitar legend Ernest Ranglin lets his fingers dance irie into smooth jazz on "Montego Bay Spleen," giving more essence to an already soulful blend.
Tourist is an energetic Saturday morning record that can revive just about anyone from post Friday night fever. It bumps in just the right places and eases into just the right spaces. For those who waited five years for St. Germain's latest release, this record will not disappoint. For those unfamiliar with his sound, there are plenty of treats on Tourist to choose from. The Age of Aquarius is upon us and St. Germain has just made a vital contribution to the cataclysmic musical revolution.
by Damani
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