John Oats

My dream stache come true, ooh ooh.

-M

NYE Chicago Bulls Intro Remix - Pretty Lights (GOLDEN BANANA)
This is how you start a motherfucking set.

Nimbus (Original Mix) - DJ DLG (Silver Banana)
Word up to Electrogressive Hau5!

Out Of My Head (Libex Dream Mix) - Gramophonedzie (Silver Banana)
Gotta dance your ass off to this House track.  Disco flavor.

True Believer (Feat Metrik And Phetsta) (Phetsta Dubstep Mix) - Shock One
Heavy ass Dubstep, you won't be dissapointed if this is your steez.

Time Ft Delilah (Queb Remix) - Chase & Status
Speaking of Dubstep, one of the better remixes I heard of this track that's flooding them cloudysounds.  Give Queb some love.

Yeah Ha (Heartik Remix) - Saeed Younan
Tech House?  OLESDOIT.

Awooga (Original Mix) - Calvin Harris
Progressive House.  Not as good as I'm Not Alone in my opinion, he trie to be more straight up ravey.  I think he does a better pop hook.

Jay Fay Riddim - Jay Fay
Strictly percussion House.  Could easily fit into a Tech, Dutch, Baltimore, or UK Funky set.

Born This Way (Zedd Remix) - Lady Gaga
One of the heroes of Complextro earning his nod from Gaga herself?  Or at least her promo team.

Solar Sailer (Pretty Lights Remix) - Daft Punk
One of the other take away tracks from the Tron remix album.  Glitch Hopy.  This would work perfect with the acapella from I <3 U So - Cassius, someone make that bootleg, I'll post it.

John Oats Zipped

Lando Calrissian

"Trust me" stache

-M

Kids (Original Club Mix) - Stefano Noferini (Golden Banana)
Great house track, very standard formula but the line is super catchy and danceable.  Heard this dropped by Gary at HARD Weekend.

Song For Lisa (Benny Benassi Mix) - The Japanese Popstars (Silver Banana)
The Benny Benassi machine is what it is because sometimes it works great.  This is one of those examples.  Electro House on the Prog side.

Guacha (Broad Rush Remix) - SON OF KICK ft. Natalia Clavier (Silver Banana)
Woah.  Drumstep anyone?

HR 8938 D Cephei (Original Extended Mix) - Deadmau5
New sweeping/epic over 10 min Progressive House track from the Mau5.  Not too special, but he's great at what he does.  Held #1 one Beatport for a while, last I checked it's fallen to #2 under the new Tiesto/Mark Knight collab.

Too Long (French Government Be Awesome Edit) - Daft Punk
French Government just put out a bunch of Edits/Remixes, all of which I believe will be posted eventually.  God I love House music.

The Lurker (Electric Rescue Remix) - Psycatron
Gotta love Techno.  I think Minimal Techno has got to be the genre with the least blog love.

Tomorrow (Taped Mix) - Dada Life, Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike, Tara McDonald
Electro House.  I'll be honest, I was expecting a little more from this collab, but its still a good track.

So in Debt (Original Mix) - Tube & Berger
HOUSE MUSIC WOOO.  Simple backing beat with chopped samples.  This is Beatport House.

Sucker Punch (Thrusher Remix) - Gtronic
The winner of his remix competition.  Electro on the complextro side.

Swastika Eyes (Spectre Mix) - Primal Scream
Not to be confused with Spektre.  This is some old school EDM.  I labeled it Trance due to the fast tempo, but it probably isn't.  Could be Techno, any thoughts?  I'm all for open genre debates.

Lando Calrissian Zipped

P.S.

I've been getting a lot of DMCA complaints.  Just a reminder that if this blog disappears into the oblivion, we've got a back up blog at apeswithbarrels.wordpress.com, so check there for updates.

P.P.S

I accidentally labeled a lot of tracks as Progessive House rather than Progressive House for a long time.  Check your iTunes and please fix it for everyone's sake, especially if you're trying to reblog.

Friedrich Nietzsche

The Uberstache.

-M

End Of Line (Boys Noize Remix) - Daft Punk (GOLDEN BANANA)
It's surprisingly underwhelming in your headphones compared to the carnage it causes on a proper system.  This is one of those tracks that gets the crowd jumping.  Unfortunately, really the only keeper from the Tron remix album, which I was super excited to post until I listened to it.  Oh well.


Origines (Original Mix) - Sebastien Leger (Silver Banana)
Tech House on the groovey/housey side from the incredible Frenchman.

Red Air - NiCe7 (Silver Banana)
House music rules.  This one's funky, exactly what House music is meant to be.

Enter Sandman - Hervé vs Metallica 
YES.  This came out as a shitty 128 a few years ago, but he just released the 320.  Bring the mosh pit.

Aktion (Original Mix) - Zodiac Cartel
Electro House on the crazy, maybe Techy side.

Like A G6 (Roger Sanchez Remix) - Far East Movement
Definitely my favorite remix I've got of this track.  Organ Housey, super sexy.  Would fit into a Dutch/Club set SO well.

I Hate That You Love Me (Chuckie's Marquee Remix) - Diddy-Dirty Money
Speaking of Dutch House.  This actually sounds a lot more like Nari & Milani than Chuckie, in that the lead is just rhythmic and not a Dutch line.

Contact (Trolley Snatcha Remix) - Foreign Beggars & Noisia
MASSIVE Dubstep alert.  This would just destroy, I can see it.

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Gigamesh Remix) - Michael Jackson
Super extended Nu Disco groove remake.  It's super similar to the original, so you won't piss off a bunch of people.  Really just a great DJ tool.

Alright (Tocadiscos Dub Mix) - Tocadisco feat Lennart a. Salomon
Cut the mid range, drop the bass.  Electro House.  The vocal drop rules.

Friedrich Nietzsche Zipped

Shizzo + Incredible Mashups

New Boys Noize EP!  Also wik Housemeister!  Not that I really care about the latter, but let's do this piracy thing!

-M

Shizzo EP - Boys Noize & Housemeister

BONUS;

These are some of the BEST mashups I've ever heard, ever.  I'd call them bootlegs, but we're not here to argue of semantics, we're here to either rock out to dance music alone or bring these tracks to our awesome crowds.


Genesis Shot 1.5 (Thomas Radman Mash Up) - Justice vs Wolfgang Gartner (GOLDEN BANANA)
Oh my god, it's amazing.  Fantastic set opener, only use if you plan on making a serious impression from the get go.

Aerodynamic GTE (Thomas Radman Mash Up) - Daft Punk vs Feed Me (Golden Banana)
The way he chops in Aerodyanmic in the begining made me... well, you know.

Pong Around The World (Thomas Radman Mash Up) - Daft Punk vs. Wippenberg
While not as technically impressive as the above mashups (this it's lack of Banana status), still awesome.  It's also the only Prog one.

Definitely go check out Thomas Radman on his SOUNDCLOUD and fill up his tracks with comments so that everyone will be annoyed but he'll also look super legit.

Edinson Cavani

OLESDOIT

-M

On My Own (Burns ESM Remix) - Yasmin (GOLDEN BANANA)
Organ House is the bomb.  This one's got some Dutch flavor in it, but it's House to the core.  Also, SUPERB vocal chopping.

Original Challenge (Original Mix) - Umek & Tomy DeClerque (Silver Banana)
This one's doing pretty well on the Beatport charts.  Techy track with an Italo Disco feel to it.  Planning on dropping this next gig.

Rave O Bitch Up (Tristan Garner Bootleg) - David Tort Vs Prodigy VS Max Vangeli & An21 (Silver Banana)
It's surprising how many big DJs drop bootlegs in their sets.  I'm definitely planning on dropping this one though.

Till The Light Comes - Solila
Some Nu Disco for you classy folk.

Blockhead (Hey Today! Remix) - Punks Jump Up
Electro Techno?  I think I mislabeled this one in my iTunes, but oh well.  Hey Today! have been murdering every remix they do.

On the Loose (Original Mix) - Christian Cambas
Techno rules.  I just hope that the blog world will open up to this style of Minimal Techno now that a lot of the former Electro guys are getting techier.

Call My Name feat. Nadia Ali (Spencer & Hill Remix) - Sultan, Ned Shepard, Nadia Ali
Electrogressive?  Pretty track with an edge.  Top notch as you should expect from these guys.

Sun Splash - Outart
Some more relaxed Techno, much more groovy/tribal.  Definitely perfect for the right setting, but I wouldn't drop this at a college.  Definitely would for a bar or something.

Rude Boy (Union Vocal Version) - Zeds Dead & Omar Linx
Dubstep --> Drum & Bass.  Great for sets that want to transition from those genres.

One More Time (Daft Punk & Stardust Rework) - Arno Cost
Great bootleg, on the proggy side.  Excellent to play some Big Room style and have everyone sing along / cheer.

Edinson Cavani Zipped

Obscure Video Game Character #13

 

 Who's gonna get this one?  +500 Bastille Love and Admiration Points?  Game on.

-M

Religious (Dada Life Remix) - Gravitonas (Golden Banana)

I mean, it's Dada Life.  Always solid Electro House when their name is attached.

Drug Abuse - BetaTraxx (Silver Banana)

This track is really impressive.  Didn't know about this dude till gLAdiator told me that they were opening for him.  I wish more Electro today was like this.

Derezzed (Breakdown Remix) - Daft Punk

For those who wants to drop some Tronage in their sets.  Great Electro House remix, BIG.

Extra - Ken Ishii

Some old school Japeneese Techno (aka J Tek).  This is for the history buffs out there like myself.  It's cool to see where we came from.

Come With Me (Original Mix) - Fergie

And why not see where Techno has ended up?  Minimal, dark, amazing.

Barbra Streisand (Sigma Mix) - Duck Sauce

Drum N Bass?  You don't say...

Toca's Miracle (Mobin Master Booty Mix) - Fragma, Chuckie

Commercial build, Dutch drop.  But it doesn't feel as random as an Afrojack drop.

Fire In Your New Shoes (Innerpartysystem Mix) - Kaskade feat. Martina Of Dragonette

Sick Electro track.

New Life (Swedish House Mafia Booty Mix) - Fedde Le Grand & Funkerman

Some Big Room House, on the Tech side.

Fly Eyes (Trolley Snatcha Remix) - Distinction

MOAR DUBSTEP!

Obscure Video Game Character #13 Zipped

Tron Legacy Soundtrack

It leaked.  You know you want it.

Tron Legacy Soundtrack - Daft Punk

Obscure Video Game Character #10

Two characters this time, but if you know one of them, pretty solid chance you know both.  They're brothers, after all.  HINT:  They love pizza.  +300 Bastille Love and Admiration Points to the first correct answer in the comments.  This is a particularly Housey post.

-M

Fan Out - Surkin (GOLDEN BANANA)
It's been a while, but this track rules.  Very different for him too.  House, slower tempo, funky as hell.  Also, first time this blog has posted a track by him.  Strange...

You Needed Me (Fred Falke Remix) - The Playin' Stars feat. Romanthony
The vocals are super cheese, sure, but it is House music after all, right?  Anyways, this is that classic Falke sound that we love.

Squeek (Bart B More Remix) - Zombie Nation (Silver Banana)
Some Electro Techno, and massive track.  I can see this being played out by so many DJs on big stages.

Marsch Marsch (Original Club Mix) - Thomas Gold
Great intro track, used this to start off my gig at FLUX two nights ago (shit was crazy, big thanks to the readers that made it out).  Progressive House.  Toolroom Records has been killing it recently.

Show You A Life (Adam K Remix) - A-Luv ft Tamara
Tech House, groooooooooooovy

Brrrat! (His Majesty Andre Remix) - Armand Van Helden / Steve Aoki
Haven't heard from this dude in a while, nice to see that his still makin some banging House.

Don't Hold Back (Out Of Office Remix) - The Potbelleez
Big Room Electro House.  Commercial stuff.  But like, this would DESTROY a Big Room, it's just not for the 'that shit is gay' readers.  You know who you are, and I say fuck the haters.

ALSO

Hypnotize U (Prod. by Daft Punk) - N.E.R.D.
Not sure how I missed this one, probably during the period when I was ignoring all things music and instead producing / playing mad Fifa.  Don't get too excited though, this is not exactly the Daft Punk sound you're yearning for, but they made it.

Obscure Video Game Character #10 Zipped

The Essential Mix

Yup.  He finally released an Essential Mix.  The second coming of Christ.  Rejoice!

Wolfgang Gartner's Essential Mix

And how about a preview of a track from Jesus' upcoming album.  It's like a progressive take on FML:

And this track. I haven't seen him live in a while, but if you've seen him recently, you probably heard this MASSIVE track:

I guess this post would be incomplete without including God. So here's a preview of a track from the Tron Soundtrack, click HERE!

Nightcall

Kavinsky (1968-1986)

Cause of Death: Car Crash
Location: Outskirts of Paris
Estimate Time/Date of accident: Unknown
Corpse Status: Unknown

Additional Information: Entry 1- 00/00/1986 Died in a car crash whilst driving his (beloved) Testarossa. Mr Kavinsky was brought into the hospital by a female supposedly called LoveFoxxx. Shortly after storing Mr Kavinsky’s body for future medical research/organ transplants, a group of Medicine Students found Mr.Kavinsky’s body missing along with his medical records.

Entry 2 - 00/00/2005: Rumors have reached the Police suggesting that Mr Kavinsky has come back from the dead. Evidence shows that in fact Mr Kavinsky has been spotted in nightclubs all around the world with the likes of
SebastiAN, Daft Punk, A-Trak and Sebastien Tellier.After a short interview between detectives and RECORD MAKERS who allege that they’ve worked/spoken with Kavinsky state that he denies being dead and that it’s 2010.

Entry 3- 2010: RECORD MAKERS and KAVINSKY have released Nightcall which has already caught the attention of many top Producers and and Djs alike.

Some of my fav Nightcall Remixes:


Nightcall (Breakbot remix)- Kavinsky Another beautiful tune by Breakbot, very chilled and makes me feel like i was in the 70s/80s for real!Golden Banana


Nightcall (The Chaotic Good Remix)- Kavinsky TCG are a DJ Duo from the US that are still a bit unknown to the public. Although they haven't released an EP yet!(to my knowledge at least) their remixes of nightcall and Kickdrums by Felix da Housecat show promise that this duo has potential to release some really gud shit in the near futur!


Nightcall (MMMathias Remix)- Kavinsky If you don't know who this guy then you're seriously missing out....Best unknown known producer banana


Nightcall (The Girls Can Hear Us Remix) A dirtier alternative to the previous 3 remixes... who are the
The Girls Can Hear Usyou ask?

Bonus:

These are from his previous EP

Testarossa Overdrive (SebastiAN remix)- KavinskyEpic Banana because I love everything that this guy edits remixes and produces!


Testarossa Autodrive (Mr Oizo Remix)- Kavinsky Epic Banana this Guy needs no intro, no description, no explanation, if you're in the dirty electro scene this guy probably already has your respect

I'm Simple P

Fidget House Batch #2

Horay for fidget house, yay.

-M

Embrace (Mick Matias Remix) - Pnau
Pretty Fidget track, good alternative to the amazing Falke remix.

Digital Love (ALGERONICS Remix) - Daft Punk
Good Fidget take on an already amazing track.

Jesus Theme (Canblaster Bassline Remix) - What Planet Is This
Danciest track in the post.

Devil's Eyes - Drop The Lime
Need lots of bass on your speakers to really appreciate this one.

Wooh! (Original) - Mike Mago
WAHWAHWAHWAH

Fidget House Batch #2 Zipped

Dubstep Batch #2

All ye in search of wobbly grime, look no further! However, I've got a lot of rather pretty Dubstep tracks in this batch, hope it breaks up the monotony. Do people that like Reggae like Dubstep?

-M

Chainsaw Calligraphy (Original Mix) - 16bit
The most brutal, insane, and just outright offensive synth sound ever made.

Precious Time - Skyence
Really pretty track, it's got a kick so theoretically you could play this live, but it's definitely more of a listening track.

Wayfaring Stranger (Burial Mix) - Jamie Woon (Golden Banana)
So incredibly amazing. Probably my favorite Burial track, this one just really gets to me.

Station Six - Downlink
Sorry, back to the grime. This track's got another super fucked up bass sound, similar to the style of Excision or Datsik (check out my post on them HERE).

Watch Your Eyes - Ed Solo
WAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAHWAH!

Dublicker - Unknown Artist vs Aphex Twin
Weird intro, but this track is really really dope. Just wait for the INSANE drop at 2:23.

One More Time (George Lenton Remix) - Daft Punk
A Dubstep remix of Daft Punk? I know, sounds like a horrible idea. However, this remix is remarkably well done. I don't think he should have done the middle section like he does, but I'll forgive for the rest of the track.

Wobble Whomp - Techjio
Title says it all.

The City (Stella Polaris Allstars Dub Remix) - Tina Dickow
Really beautiful track, but the quality is pretty shitty (140).

Dubstep Batch #2 Zipped

Also, if you'd like to cop either of my Dubstep mixes, you can grab them HERE and HERE.

The Only True DJ Heroes

DJ Hero - Daft Punk Trailer
by Activision

They just sold me 1 million copies

Felguk!

Felguk is an absolutely incredible Electro House duo from Brazil. If you enjoy Electro House, you MUST grab these tracks. While they have some very hard hitting tracks, some are just plain beautiful and melodic while still staying dancey as fuck. It's almost like a more playful Deadmau5 with some clear German electro influence (I mean, they even collaborated with the infamous Spencer & Hill). Been meaning to do this post for a long time, but I just have so many tracks of theirs that I've been dreading the upload, but it's finally time to put em out there. Enjoy:
Oh yeah, and all tracks are 320, with the exception of ONE of the tracks in the collection at the bottom, which is actually 319...

-M

Step On The Scene Part 1 (Original Mix) - Felguk
My personal favorite of the bunch. This track is a fucking epic journey through chord changes.

Side By Side (Original Mix) - Felguk
This track just kills too. So beautiful and yet so hard hitting at the same time. It's kind of like a mix between Progressive and Electro. Let's call it Electrogressive!

Harder Better Faster Stronger (Felguk Remix) - Daft Punk
Tired of playing the original, or perhaps the Deadmau5 remix? This is a FANTASTIC substitute. Will make your crowd go nuts for sure.

Guess What (Original Mix) - Felguk
Wow. There isn't much Electro House out there that sounds like this. Truly Unique. This track in particular is like a Progressive version of Fidget House, only way I can really describe it.

And, for those of you who are particularly enjoying what you're hearing, you can grab my entire Felguk collection below (24 Tracks, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED).

Felguk Collection (All In One Zip)

Felguk Collection (By Track)

ALSO, cheers to the blog 310electro for introducing me to Felguk. Great blog, I love it.

French House Arrest Episode VI: Ice Cube?

No, not Ice Cube, but rather I:Cube, the awesome Frenchman whose work contributed to the evolution of the French sound. Also featured is a random track which I can't recall where I got it from but it was released in '97 and is awesome so I'm including it. Also, a little insight into what was happening in House music outside of France.

Also want to give a big shout out to our one reader from Budapest, Hungary. Major props.

-M

Picnic Attack - I:Cube

This album is a lot more like the 'Motorbass' sound with big inspiration from the disco sounds coming from everyone around him. Also, Daft Punk remixed on of the tracks on it, and it's definitely one of their best (Grab it HERE).

Faithfull - Fantom

Awesome track, great example of the genre. EP includes an Etienne De Crecy remix, although the original mix definitely wins.

Insomnia - Faithless

Famous track from the UK in 1997, one of those that everyone recognizes when it gets to "that part." Ishkur calls it Anthem House, makes sense. Shit's epic as hell, but corny as shit. Doesn't matter though, its pretty awesome.

For those interested in a blog that posts rare albums, I highly recommend Boards of Electronica. Great source for all sorts of music. The best way to use this blog is to check the labels and find what you like.

French House Arrest Episode V: Party Like It's 1997

Back on track and in our favorite year ever (the year I picked up Piano actually) 1997. This year marked the release of the quintessential French House/Touch album, being Super Discount from Etienne De Crecy (pictured). However, it was actually released a few days (really days) after Homework, so it definitely was not the first like many claim. Also, I'm including the first release on the label Crydamoure, a label set up by Guy-Manuel De Homem Christo of Daft Punk and Eric Chedeville. Discogs describes the label as such: "Deep French House label bringing together the finest filtered sounds from the likes of Paul Johnson, Daft Punk and DJ Sneak." Definitely the most important of the French House labels, everyone should head over to Solid Goldberger to grab its entire discography.

-M

Super Discount - Etienne De Crecy

If anyone every asks you what French House / French Touch is, this is its defining album. It's extremely cool and stylish. Collaborating with such artists as Alex Gopher, Etienne De Crecy definitely made one of the most awesome albums ever, definitely a big step up from his work with Motorbass. Even if you're not sold on your first listen, I promise you that you will appreciate this. Also, I couldn't find this shit posted ANYWHERE and had to buy it on iTunes a while back. Figure I should give him money for this though. Funny how iTunes Plus gives you 224 kbps mp3s when I steal 320s every day. What's the point of buying music if I can get better quality for free? P.S. If anyone is thinking of buying me any gifts for any particular reason, this on vinyl would be optimal :)

You should also head over HERE for some remixes by Mr. Crecy.

[CRYDA 001] Santa Claus / Holiday On Ice - Le Knight Club

First release from Le Knight Club, made up of the label owners Guy-Manuel and Eric. Holiday On Ice is my favorite of the two, such an amazing groove.

BONUS:
Aurora - Alex Gopher
Guaranteed to get your crowd jumping. This track is from 2008*

French House Arrest Episode III: Parisian Disco Pogo!

So we've now made it to 1997, the biggest year for French House, most importantly the year that Daft Punk released their debut LP, Homework. Some other really important things happened too, and they'll be covered as well, but this episode is about Daft Punk. I've also got a very early release from Alan Braxe, who would go on to make very important contributions to the direction of French House towards a more synthy sound with Fred Falke. 1997 was they year when French House really became known to the world as the powerhouse that it is now. Hell, even David Guetta rode the wave to fame.

-M

Homework - Daft Punk

I mean, it's Homework by Daft Punk. If you don't have this already, you're truly missing out. Completely produced in their own bedrooms, all I can say is masterpiece. This alone defined them as the masters of French House, landed them a spot on Pete Tong's Essential Mix show on BBC Radio 1, and a tour.

Essential Mix 1997 - Daft Punk

The best DJ mix. Period.

Alive 1997 - Daft Punk

Of course, not nearly as awesome or innovative as Alive 2007, but they didn't have as much material to play with yet.

[Roulé 303] Vertigo - Alan Braxe

Great EP. Not only did Alan Braxe create one funky ass track, but then Thomas Bangalter supplies one of the most incredible remixes ever. This definitely worked heavily towards defining the genre.

BONUS:
Grab a bunch of other /rarer Daft Punk tracks HERE.

French House Arrest Episode II: Thomas Bangalter

Jumping back to 1995, House music was of course not doing so well, but their were some guys, like Motorbass, working to revamp House music into something much cooler than ever before. Then along came Thomas Bangalter. This man is the MOST important person in house music history as far as I'm concerned. His solo productions along with his collaboration with Guy-Manuel De Homem Christo, otherwise known as Daft Punk, pretty much defined the French House music. He is to House what Miles Davis was to Jazz. Miles Davis fostered the creation of Cool Jazz (very similar to French House in it's undeniable cool factor) and then pioneered the evolution of Jazz into fusion. Many say that Jazz stopped evolving with his death, and that may very well be true. But I digress.

-M

[Roulé 301] Trax On Da Rocks - Thomas Bangalter

So Mr. Bangalter set up his own little label called Roulé for the purposes of releasing his own material and eventually others. This, obviously, is one of the most important French House labels. Trax On Da Rocks was released in 1995 and contains what I will call the first French House track ever, Ventura (once again, all statements that I make are based on my knowledge at this point). He introduces the use of filtering samples in House music, which was a HUGE step in its development.  Acid House was using filters to get that super resonated sound, but he was filtering his samples to make that effect that  pretty much every House track uses now. However, this is still not a French House record, as the other tracks don't quite fit the mold. French House is waiting for 1997 for its giant coming out party.

[Roulé 302] Spinal Scratch - Thomas Bangalter

By god, this is a fucking French House track. Its funky, housey, dancey, cool, awesome, and everything else that French House is. Bangalter just opened the flood gates, as this track was released in 1996, one year before aforementioned coming out party.

French House Arrest Episode I: Motorbass

I've been meaning to do this for a while, so I've just decided to go ahead and do it. I will be beginning a series of posts on the history of French House, or the period in which Electronic Dance Music became cool again. The posts will be in chronological order and feature a bunch of different artists all affiliated with the French House sound. Some posts (like this one) will have a lot of stuff, some will not. This was very much inspired by Solid Goldberger, the mother of all French House blogs, and I highly recommend that everyone interested in French House dig through its archives in order to get yourself discographies of some of the great French House labels like Crydamoure, Roulé, and Vertigo.

House music. After it was invented by gay black dudes in Chicago and New York during the 80s, it soon lost its innovation or any real interesting driving force. This all changed when some French dudes took hold of the genre and completely revamped the sound, adding in much cooler elements of funk, disco, and just plain awesome samples. House music was suddenly cool again.

So then who started this movement? I'm pretty sure the answer is the collaboration of Etienne De Crecy and Philippe Zdar, called Motorbass. Etienne De Crecy is widely considered the originator of the French House sound, and he will be discussed more in depth in Episode V. Philippe Zdar is another incredibly important person in the history of French House, being a member of Cassius, and has even gone on to produce for other French Touch bands such as Phoenix. The work of Motorbass in the early 1990's would lay the foundation for the new emerging sounds that would become the French Touch.

-M

1st - Motorbass

1st was released in 1993 and its by no means a French House album. In fact, the best genre to place this album would be Techno. However, you can hear the influence of Deep House and the only word that accurately describes their sound is 'cool.'

Transphunk EP - Motorbass

Transphunk is where you can really start to hear the French House sound coming to life. This was also released in '93, predating the work of Thomas Bangalter and Daft Punk. Once again, all I can say is that their sound is so fucking cool, and what makes it even cooler is that no other electronic music at the time really sounded like this. But once again, still not truly French House, as there's even a Breakbeat track.

Pansoul - Motorbass

Pansoul was the debut LP for Motorbass released in 1996, and definitely their most essential release. The tracks are cooler and housier, developing the French House sound further along its path. Highly Recommended. Although this came after the early works of Thomas Bangalter, I call this the first French House album.

BONUS:
Around the World (Motorbass Vice Mix) - Daft Punk
Very strange, you can barely recognize the original in it. Once again, very cool.

Moments Of A Crisis

I don't know if you guys are familiar with Cosmo Vitelli, but the guy has been in the game for a long time. He's done official remixes for some big names like Daft Punk, Simian Mobile Disco, and Etienne De Crecy, and is managed (or at least was at some point, not sure if he still is) by Pedro Winter aka Busy P. The Cosmos will be coming out with a compilation CD (2 discs) named Moments Of A Crisis for his label, I'm A Cliché. It'll feature unreleased tracks from guys like SMD and Yuksek, so I'm definitely looking forward to its release. Digital release date is July 21, so keep an eye out for it. We have a free track that'll be featured in the comp along with some other goodies.

-M

Hungry For The Power - Azari & III
Really old school house, everyone loves that classic 808 cowbell, right? Definitely confuses me since I know that the cd's gonna have electro, but oh well.

Face To Face (Cosmo Vitelli Remix) - Daft Punk
This was on Daft Club, really reminds me of Todd Edwards. Is it the best remix? No, but it's definitely a really interesting take on a flawless track.

Face To Face (Night Drugs Rework) - Daft Punk
This remix is awesome, just had to include it. Pretty recent too.