French touch (music)

Definition

It is delicate to give a precise definition of the French Touch being given its nature-even (cf history). Based on a traditional rate/rhythm house, this style draws its originality in the use of Sample S filtered mainly coming from the Funk and the Disco.

History

The original conditions of development of the House in France, as well as the unequal mediatization of its Artist S, often made of a history of “French Touch”, the account of the adventures of a band of buddies. Actually, one can take for starting point the year 1988 and the decision of the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in front of the Hystérie caused by the “ Summer off Coils ” 1988, to prohibit the gatherings around “repetitive music”. This measurement anti Techno will encourage large “the turnips” of the the United Kingdom to exile itself in France.

In summer 1988, the young French discover turnips. Among them, Laurent Garnier, which will be the first to mix traditional the techno and house of Chicago and Detroit with Paris. Later, a British label underground and avant-gardist, Mo' wax , has a considerable impact on the precursors of the French scene such as Etienne de Crécy and Philippe Zdar (futures Motorbass), DJ Grégory or Kid Loco, then set on Rock, Hip-hop or Jazz. Also the influences of this generation of artists are in the tubes Acid jazz and techno of the time but also in the Funk, the Disco, the jazz and the Soul.

As of 1994, these artists start to produce and to publish titles which climb quickly in the British charts and do not leave indifferent criticisms on the other side of the channel. At this moment, the stammering french touch sees appearing more and more artists such as Air, Dimitri from Paris, Funk Mob or DJ Cam, producing the sonorities very influenced by the Trip hop. During this time, the Daft Punk start to work on their premises on their first Maxi S. In France, the movement is still very marginal, and concentrates in some neuralgic points of the capital, in particular in the record dealers where these same artists are with the mounting of the innovations.

In 1995, the french touch starts to take truly dash with the exit of the album Boulevard of German St, of its true name Ludovic Navarre. A disc with the sound acid jazz and minimal house, encensé by the British press in particular via the Musical New Express train or Mixmag . Then in 1996, it is with the turn of the Duo Motorbass to be a world success at the exit of the album Pansoul . At the end of the same year, the album Homework of Daft Punk completes to establish this musical movement on the international scene.

In the tread of other artists take part in this explosion: Etienne de Crécy with his compilation Superdiscount , Cassius, Alex Gopher, David Guetta, Demon, Dimitri from Paris, or Bob Sinclar. In front of freshness and the originality which these artists have then coming quasi-exclusivement from France, the Anglo-Saxon press had the idea to name quite simply this sound “French Touch”. All the French artists will thus be labelled French Touch as from this moment, testifies diversity to it to the productions to then. 1998 is often regarded as the year when the french touch reaches its apogee, with in backdrop the title Music Sounds Better With You of Stardust. A piece produced by Thomas Bangalter, Benjamin Diamond and Alan Braxe, become emblematic of this movement, and which will be sold with more than 2 million specimens.

As opposed to what one believes, the term French Touch is not an invention of journalist, it is with a wind-breaker created by Eric Morand for F  Communications with the inscription " We Give has French Touch To Our House music ". But it is true that even if the British journalists did not invent the " term; French Touch" it is them which contributed to the diffusion of the term when, as from the year 1996, arrived of the French electronic productions in great quantity and especially of great quality. Their enthusiasm and their overexploitation of the " term; French Touch " is comprehensible when one reconsiders with the fact that since the years disco music and the productions of artists like Cerrone or Daniel Vangarde (father of Thomas Bangalter), France had not brought anything of interesting to the electronic music of dance (Dance, Techno…). However this effect shows that French created and preceded the worldwide market, which shows the large opening within French electronic music industry.

Artists

List nonexhaustive:

External bonds and bibliography

  • Article on France Diplomacy

  • Stephan the Jordan: French Touch , Editions Astral Beaver, Collection Music Beaver, 2005

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