French house

Last updated

Gnome-mime-audio-openclipart.svg
French house sample
Problems playing this file? See media help.

French house (also referred to as French touch, filter house, or tekfunk) is a style of house music devised by French musicians in the 1990s. [1] It is a form of Euro disco and a popular strand of the late 1990s and 2000s European EDM scene. The defining characteristics of the genre are filter and phaser effects both on and alongside samples from late 1970s and early 1980s European disco tracks. Tracks sometimes contained original hooks inspired by these samples, providing thicker harmonic foundations than the genre's forerunners. [2] Most tracks in this style are in 4
4 time and feature steady four-on-the-floor beats in the tempo range of 110–130 beats per minute. French house is similar to future funk, although there are some key differences. Purveyors of French house include Daft Punk, [3] David Guetta, Bob Sinclar, Martin Solveig, Cassius, The Supermen Lovers, [4] Modjo, Justice, Air, and Étienne de Crécy.

Contents

History and influences

French house was influenced by American dance music, Euro disco, and the space disco music styles. [5] Space disco was popular in France during the late 1970s and early 1980s, especially with artists such as Cerrone and Sheila and B. Devotion. American P-Funk also influenced the genre's sound, especially the work of George Clinton and Bootsy Collins. [6] P-Funk was played alongside disco in many French discothèques, notably after Disco Demolition Night took place in the United States. [6] The Jacking aspect of Chicago house was also incorporated into the French house scene with "jack house" becoming a short-lived descriptive term for the sound in the UK. The influence of 1970s French pop music, championed by musicians such as François de Roubaix, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Serge Gainsbourg, is also apparent within the genre. [6]

Thomas Bangalter's tracks for his Roulé label were some of the earliest examples of French house. His solo material, along with his work as a member of Daft Punk and Stardust, influenced the French house scene during the mid-to-late 1990s. [7] The French duo Motorbass were among the first in France to produce house tracks largely based around samples and filtered loops and released their seminal album, Pansoul in 1996. Parisian producer St. Germain also produced jazz-inspired house tracks. Other known French producers during this time period, such as François Kevorkian and Laurent Garnier, remained distant from the emerging French house label.

UK dance music and European DJs first recognized French house experiments in the mid-1990s with commercial success occurring in 1997. [8] Daft Punk, Cassius and later Stardust were the first internationally successful artists of the genre, and along with Air, signed to Virgin Records. Initial releases by all three garnered music videos directed by Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry and Alex & Martin. Thanks to a growing awareness of the clubbing scene, along with major label support, Daft Punk's debut album Homework entered the top 10 of the UK album charts upon its release. The duo would ultimately become the biggest-selling French act in the UK since Jean-Michel Jarre. [9] The emergence of the French sound coincided with dance music's popularity in the UK market, which was also experiencing a surge of interest in general electronic music. [10]

Further international commercial success continued into the 2000s with Bob Sinclar, Étienne de Crécy, Benjamin Diamond, and Modjo achieving hit singles in Europe. In late 2005, pop superstar Madonna released Confessions on a Dance Floor, an album with significant French house influences in several of its songs. [2]

Terms, origins and variations

The term "French Touch" was first used in Paris in July 1987. [11] Jean-Claude Lagrèze, a photographer of parisians' nights created a couple of "French Touch" parties at The Palace in an effort to help people discover house music. The parties were driven by DJ Laurent Garnier, Guillaume la Tortue and David Guetta. The expression "We Give a French Touch to House" was printed on a bomber jacket by Éric Morand for Fnac Music Dance Division in 1991. [10]

Prior to 1996, "French house" had been referred to among Europeans as "nu-disco", "disco house" and "new disco". [12] The term "French touch" was popularised by music journalist Martin James in the weekly music paper known as Melody Maker . He referred to the term in 1996 as a review of Étienne de Crécy's first album Super Discount. This term became favoured among the French media and was then widely used in the UK press by 1998. [8] The French newspaper, Libertation and Radio NRJ acknowledged Martin James as the coiner of the "French Touch".[ citation needed ] The term was then used on an MTV News special, to describe a "French house explosion" phenomenon. Bob Sinclar was interviewed, as well as Air (a non-house act) and Cassius. This news special later aired on all MTV local variations worldwide, spreading the term and introducing the "French house" sound to the mainstream population. [2]

Between 1998 and 2001, local music shop Discobole Records imported the records directly from France and middle class clubs dedicated totally to the genre, such as City Groove. In Greece, this music style was promoted as "disco house". [13] During 1999, many events also took place on Spain's Ibiza island, and has continued to be a very popular destination for British tourists. [14]

French house can be described as a combination of three production styles. One is what the French refer to as 'French house' or 'French Touch,' heavily influenced by the space disco sound. The second style is a continuation and update of Euro disco, drawing inspiration from the productions of Alec R. Costandinos. The third style embodies the deep American house influence, evident in the similar treatment of samples and repetitive 'funky' hooks. Further variations and mutations naturally followed.[ citation needed ]

French house initially maintained the established 'French Touch' sound, emphasizing Euro disco-like vocals and downplaying the 'space disco' themes. However, over time, most successful acts have evolved their sound. For instance, Bob Sinclar's later work, including the hit single 'World, Hold On (Children of the Sky),' exhibits only a distant connection to the original French house sound. Similarly, both Daft Punk and Étienne de Crécy developed a harder synthetic sound more directly inspired by techno, electro, and pop.

Record labels associated with the style

Related Research Articles

House is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat and a typical tempo of 120-130 beats per minute as a re-emergence of 1970s disco. It originated in the Black queer community in Chicago. It was created by DJs and music producers from Chicago's underground club culture and evolved slowly in the early/mid 1980s as DJs began altering disco songs to give them a more mechanical beat. By early 1988, House became mainstream and supplanted the typical 80s music beat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daft Punk</span> French electronic music duo

Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. They achieved early popularity in the late 1990s as part of the French house movement, combining elements of house music with funk, disco, techno, rock and synth-pop. The duo garnered further acclaim and commercial success and are now regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history.

In France, music reflects a diverse array of styles. In the field of classical music, France has produced several prominent romantic composers, while folk and popular music have seen the rise of the chanson and cabaret style. The oldest playable musical recordings were made in France using the earlist known sound recording device in the world, the phonautograph, which was patented by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville in 1857. France is also the 5th largest market by value in the world, and its music industry has produced many internationally renowned artists, especially in the nouvelle chanson and electronic music.

<i>Homework</i> (Daft Punk album) 1997 studio album by Daft Punk

Homework is the debut studio album by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk, released on 20 January 1997 by Virgin Records and Soma Quality Recordings. It was later released in the United States on 25 March 1997. As the duo's first project on a major label, they produced the album's tracks without plans to release them, but after initially considering releasing them as separate singles, they considered the material good enough for an album.

<i>Discovery</i> (Daft Punk album) 2001 studio album by Daft Punk

Discovery is the second studio album by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk, released on 12 March 2001 by Virgin Records. It marked a shift from the Chicago house of their first album, Homework (1997), to a house style more heavily inspired by disco, post-disco, garage house, and R&B. Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk described Discovery as an exploration of song structures, musical forms and childhood nostalgia, compared to the "raw" electronic music of Homework.

Modjo were a French house music duo formed in Paris in 1999. The duo was composed of producer Romain Tranchart and singer Yann Destagnol. They are known for their 2000 hit song "Lady ", which was their only major hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Bangalter</span> French musician (born 1975)

Thomas Bangalter is a French musician, record producer, singer, songwriter, DJ and composer. He is best known as one half of the former French house music duo Daft Punk, alongside Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. He has recorded and released music as a member of the trio Stardust, the duo Together, as well as a solo artist. Bangalter's work has influenced a wide range of artists in various genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roulé</span> French record label

Roulé was a French record label founded in 1995 by former Daft Punk member Thomas Bangalter. Roulé had a side label entitled Scratché which released only one record, produced by the Buffalo Bunch. Roulé was liquidated in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassius (band)</span> French musical duo (1988–2019)

Cassius was a French musical duo active from 1988 to 2019 and consisting of producers Philippe Cerboneschi and Hubert Blanc-Francard, better known as Zdar and Boombass. Under its different incarnations the duo is likened to the "French touch" movement of electronic music in the second half of the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Sinclar</span> French DJ (born 1969)

Christophe Le Friant, better known by his stage name Bob Sinclar, is a French record producer, DJ and remixer. He is the owner of the record label Yellow Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robot Rock (song)</span> 2005 song by Daft Punk

"Robot Rock" is the lead single from Daft Punk's third studio album Human After All. The single was released initially on 11 April 2005 with a music video, directed by and featuring the duo, preceding the single's release. While the single reached a moderately high chart position, many critics found the song overly repetitive when compared to songs from their other studio albums at the time. It features a sample of "Release the Beast" performed by Breakwater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music Sounds Better with You</span> 1998 single by Stardust

"Music Sounds Better with You" is the only song by the French house trio Stardust, released on 20 July 1998. Stardust comprised the producer Thomas Bangalter, the DJ Alan Braxe and the vocalist Benjamin Diamond. They wrote "Music Sounds Better With You", a dance track, using a guitar riff sampled from the 1981 Chaka Khan song "Fate".

Nu-disco is a 21st-century dance music genre associated with a renewed interest in the late 1970s disco, synthesizer-heavy 1980s European dance music styles, and early 1990s electronic dance music. The genre was popular in the early 2000s, and experienced a mild resurgence in the 2010s.

Post-disco is a term to describe an aftermath in popular music history circa 1979–1986, imprecisely beginning with the backlash against disco music in the United States, leading to civil unrest and a riot in Chicago known as the Disco Demolition Night on July 12, 1979, and indistinctly ending with the mainstream appearance of new wave in 1980. During its dying stage, disco displayed an increasingly electronic character that soon served as a stepping stone to new wave, old-school hip hop, Euro disco, and was succeeded by an underground club music called hi-NRG, which was its direct continuation.

Boogie is a rhythm and blues genre of electronic dance music with close ties to the post-disco style, that first emerged in the United States during the late 1970s to mid-1980s. The sound of boogie is defined by bridging acoustic and electronic musical instruments with emphasis on vocals and miscellaneous effects. It later evolved into electro and house music.

French electronic music is a panorama of French music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production.

<i>Random Access Memories</i> 2013 studio album by Daft Punk

Random Access Memories is the fourth and final studio album by the French electronic duo Daft Punk, released on 17 May 2013 through Columbia Records. It pays tribute to late 1970s and early 1980s American music, particularly from Los Angeles. This theme is reflected in the album's packaging, as well as its promotional campaign, which included billboards, television advertisements and a web series. Recording sessions took place from 2008 to 2012 at Henson, Conway and Capitol Studios in California, Electric Lady Studios in New York City, and Gang Recording Studio in Paris, France.

"Contact" is a song by French electronic music duo Daft Punk. It is the thirteenth and final track from the duo's fourth studio album Random Access Memories, released on 17 May 2013. The track was written and produced by the duo, with additional writing and co-production by DJ Falcon. Daryl Braithwaite, Tony Mitchell, and Garth Porter are also credited as writers due to the song containing a sample of "We Ride Tonight" by Australian rock band The Sherbs. The song includes audio from the Apollo 17 mission, courtesy of NASA and Captain Eugene Cernan. Due to digital downloads of Random Access Memories, the song charted at number 46 on the French Singles Chart and at number 24 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

<i>Pansoul</i> 1996 studio album by Motorbass

Pansoul is the only album by French house duo Motorbass, released in July 1996 under the record label Motorbass. It was reissued in 2003 and then again on October 21, 2021 by the record label Ed Banger to mark the 25th anniversary of the album's release. It is credited as being one of the first and most important albums in the French house genre.

References

  1. ↑ Hawkins, Stan. "Feel the Beat Come Down: HouseMusic As Rhetoric" (PDF). Analyzing Popular Music: 82–103. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022– via Academia.
  2. 1 2 3 "Guide to French House Music: 4 Notable French House Acts". 24 February 2022. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "Village Voice: Daft Punk by Scott Woods". Archived from the original on 4 June 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2007.
  4. ↑ "Exposition "Electro" à La Philharmonie : 5 clips emblématiques de la French Touch". CNEWS (in French). 8 April 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  5. ↑ Le Menestrel, Sara (2007). "The Color of Music: Social Boundaries and Stereotypes in Southwest Louisiana French Music". Southern Cultures. 13 (3): 87–105. ISSN   1068-8218. JSTOR   26391066.
  6. 1 2 3 Mazierska, Ewa; Rigg, Tony; Gillon, Les (6 May 2021). The Evolution of Electronic Dance Music. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN   978-1-5013-6638-3.
  7. ↑ Suzanne Ely, "Return of the Cybermen" Mixmag , July 2006, pp. 94–98.
  8. 1 2 'French Connections: From Discotheque to Discovery' by Martin James, 2002, Sanctuary Publishing
  9. ↑ Meissner, Florian. "DAFT PUNK – HOMEWORK".
  10. 1 2 Musicpublished, Future (20 September 2019). "Everything you need to know about: French touch". MusicRadar. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "French touch – 10 of the best". The Guardian. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Nu Disco Music Guide: A Brief History of Nu Disco".
  13. ↑ "What defines French house?". 9 January 2021.
  14. ↑ Tolentino, Christian (5 November 2019). "UK delivers highest number of overseas visitors to Ibiza". Travel Daily. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.