I recently found an old, long-forgotten CD that was lying around my room, shoved in a corner years ago, covered in tons of dust, and.....it turned out to be a compilation of some old-school Bob Sinclar tracks. Quite naturally then, I felt a strong urge to browse through my record collection and dig out all the fine tracks Bob has graced us with in the late 90s / early 00s and reminisce on these happy vibes.
I also figured I should share a piece of Sinclar's beats with the rest of the world. And trust me, it was a mission and a half to actually pick an album/song for my blog - simply because Bob has made so many fantastic tunes! Nevertheless, in the end, I went for the 'I feel for you' LP...follow me and you'll figure out why!
...Bob Sinclar...the name has become nearly synonymous with house music. Christophe Le Friant, cuz that's his real name, is a true character - trying to grasp who he actually is and getting the gist of his persona would take some considerable research. In the meantime, let's just see what the man himself has to say:
"Who is Bob Sinclar? An international man of mystery, since he first emerged in 1976 his career path has taken in spy, jewel thief. Riviera playboy, mercenary, arms smuggler, Monte Carlo card shark, Studio 54 bellboy, high-class gigolo, sunglasses model and hardcore porn star. It's also rumoured he was roped in to teach John Travolta to dance for Saturday Night Fever, but we don't want to play with the rumours - the mere facts themselves are incredible enough. Now, since his autobiography was banned worldwide in order to protect NATO security, Bob has decided to tell his story via the medium of House music."
This is an extract from the liner notes of his first album - 'Paradise'. I don't think I could put it any better myself. If it still ain't enough, just know that he's responsible for over 80 releases, nearly 300 remixes (for such notable artists as: Ian Pooley, Jamiroquai, Dimitri from Paris, Moby and Madonna) and has made over 1,100 appearances on compilations, albums, mixes and videos. All this under various monikers: Bob Sinclar, Chris the French Kiss and Bob from Paris. Sinclar lives in Le Marais, the gay district of Paris and is currently involved in making shit music...what?!...yep, that's not a typo. A living legend, a leader of the french touch house scene, a visionary artist whose tracks have introduced me to house music, has now become a sell out, making plastic, commercial 'music' that ain't worth the vinyl it's pressed on. Sad but true...
Nevertheless, you gotta give credit where credit is due - his early stuff was mindblowing. The 'I feel for you' LP, which is the first single from his second album - 'Champs Elysées' (released in 2000 on his own Yellow Productions label), is simply French house at its best. The release features two tracks: 'I Feel For You' (with two r&b remixes) and 'Save Our Soul', plus two DJ tools - an accapella and a 'beatapella'.
The title track is a great disco-infused piece and has everything you'd expect from an early Bob tune - fantastic soulful vocals, a slamming beat and a funky rolling bass that keeps on driving the track. Where Sinclar really delivers is his sampling. He can take two records - Cerrone's 'Look for Love' and Weeks & Co.'s 'Knock Knock' - x-ray the tracks, scanning for the tastiest, sweetest bits and end up having a short sample, which after applying his filter magic, turns into an unforgettable hook that sends crowds of people crazy...that's pure musical instinct!
As for the B-side, 'Save Our Soul' is a lot more darker and deeper, but it still is a hell of a tune! Here Sinclar sampled the live version of Earth, Wind & Fire's 'Devotion' to create an awesome floorfiller that despite the heavier beat still has that 'feel-good' factor you'd expect from Bob. Personally, I really like the intro to the song, but I can't figure out where's the sample from. And also, is it just me or does the guy really say: 'Save us all' instead of 'Save our soul'? Do you think Bob knew about it? Did he do it on purpose?...It reminds me of 'Ride On Time' by Black Box, who only after several years after releasing their song admitted that the sample they used really said: 'Right on time' but they just misheard it :)
Adding up, the LP enjoyed massive success, being released in over 9 countries on labels such as: Defected (UK), Subliminal (US), Universal (Italy), Legato (Belgium), Vendetta (Spain) etc.etc. Credit must go to Julien Jabre who was the projects engineer and is responsible for that sweet sound. There are also many remixes worth checking out: 'Save Our Soul' was nicely edited by Brian Tappert of Defected and Kidstuff's 'Tear Our Soul Apart' mix is also a banger of a tune!
So the next time you hear 'Love Generation' on the radio, just remember that deep inside, hidden beneath that ton of plastic is Bobs true, vivid, colourful, funky soul - unfortunately it decided to hide for the time being. Let's just hope we will see it make an appearance once again!
French touch, baby!
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