Antena were, as Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant dubbed them, a French “electro-samba” trio in the early eighties. The album “Camino del Sol”, originally released as a five track 12” in 1980, was expanded and released as an LP in 1982 by Belgian label Les Disques du Crepuscule, an offshoot of the legendary Factory Records in the UK. “Camino del Sol” went on to heavily influence the synth-bossa undertones of artists like Stereolab, Bebel Gilberto, and Air. More recently, the album was given the special edition treatment, re-released on Numero Group in 2004. Not unlike the resurgence of Os Mutantes, the reissue widened Antena’s modern audience, which undoubtedly brought upon the new “Versions Speciales” format of “Camino del Sol”, a collection of remixes by current artists such as Joakim, Chromatics, Escort, and Nouvelle Vague.
Among the highlights here is ‘Seaside Weekend’ as remixed by the NYC disco outfit Escort. The original nature of the track stays firmly intact, only modestly beefed-up (and sped up) by Escort’s funky production work. Enne’s mix of ‘Achilles’ strips away the minimalist new wave sound of the original, replacing it with a spaced-out jazz piano loop. Joakim’s take on the title track turns the song into a sinister eight-minute late-night dance jam. Chromatics give ‘On the Boat’ (not a track from the orginal “Camino del Sol”) their signature dark-electro stamp, easily suited for Isabelle Antena’s whispery vocals.
The new version of the underground classic does little to break new ground with the original gems, but that’s not to say the collection is entirely devoid of merit. The disc would be perfectly suitable for a summer day by the pool or a Sunday afternoon barbecue. And it is nice to see Antena’s unique sound live on in a new form 25 years later. But if you want to listen to groundbreaking samba-infused synth-pop, go back to the original for the real deal.
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