Euro Lounge is a collection of transatlantic groove tracks on the Putumayo
label, a world music concern that also includes clothing and a syndicated radio
music hour, and a list of 60 cd's you just might be able to purchase at your
hipper retail coffee roaster.
Though the tracks are from all over the world, it would seem that a Western
perspective permeates the track choices. The range is exotic (from Macedonia
to the Netherlands) without ever being TOO exotic.
The compilation starts with 'Un Simple Histoire' from Thievery Corporation
and chanteuse LouLou, with TC's groove being in the four square style of their
Abductions and Reconstructions work rather than the funkification of Richest
Man in Babylon (is there no pie they haven't their fingers in). It's this laid
back consistency that permeates most of the CD. Uptempo Exotica and hyper
Bossa Nova backbeats are for the most part avoided.
That said, Euro Lounge is surprisingly song-oriented, groovy songs rather
than melodic grooves, with only a few notable exceptions. The wall of beat
replaces the verse/chorus approach on the offerings by Gare Du Nord, which is kind
of warm weather private-eye music, and Mambotur, which bounces like salsa on a
pinball machine.
The high point is delivered by Bossa Nostra's 'Jackie' (calling all music
supervisors), which belongs somewhere cinematic, or at least in a music featured
segment of something on the WB, immediately.
For pure sexiness, we end with Arling and Cameron's 'Voulez-Vous' (no. not
THAT Voulez-Vous), which gave me a tan by the end of the first minute. More in
this vein might push Euro Lounge closer to the Let's-Get-This-Party-Started
vibe then the Mixed-Drink-At-The-End-of-a-Long-Day space it now occupies, but
perhaps this is splitting hairs. It's a consistent listen devoid of filler, not
necessarily opium for the sonically adventurous, but not candy floss either,
and a solid introduction to artists like Bandabardo, Vanja Lazarova, and the
aforementioned Bossa Nostra worth exploring further. |