Parisian label Popcorn Records has since 2011 been a home from home for some of the Europe’s most discerning artists. From the first release from Louca, to minimal mainstay Lowris’ early output Popcorn has always had seriously classy undertones. One artist that has featured perhaps more than most is the long-standing legend Aubrey and that is where we begin our look at the 10-year anniversary release from the French imprint.
As you might expect from a long running French label the soul oozes from every track, even from Aubrey’s release opener ‘Trouser Snake’. What begins as a noisy angular banger soon smoothes out to reveal its dusty Rhodes center. Céline keeps this vibe going with a more minimal leaning percussive roller on ‘Can Molino’. Moving into bumpy house territory who else but Chez Damier and his sublime ‘Tudor Por Amor’ gets the remix treatment from Okee and Chord to stunning effect.
Sticking with the artists that helped shape the label and house and techno much missed explorer Daso returns to the label having not appeared since 2013. ’Chordster’ weaves a hypnotic story with very little but that has always been a weapon at Daso’s disposal after countless top releases granted him immortality. Another welcome return to the label is DJ Gregory but in his original guise. Having last guested on Popcorn under his techy / minimal alter ego Point G, DJ Gregory returns with ‘Demonia’ a shimmering disco house roller.
What French house label worth their salt hitting a milestone with a big VA could resist an entry from OG artist D’Julz. As always, its right on the money. Crisp drums and deep basslines combine on ‘Sacred Drunkness’ to devastating effect and the tidy flecks of synths really set things off. Old friends of the label Flabaire and Paul Cut hookup to drop the pressure a bit on ‘Bonbon’ for a mid-summer jam that has French flair painted all over it. Jay Ka rolls out the drum fills on ‘Asnec’ while Le Loup turns in a more sinister acid banger on ‘Eddie Smurfy’.
The French touch makes another appearance courtesy of Lucas Moinet’s ‘Apollo 11 (Deeper Mix)’. Heading towards the business end of the VA and Mad Rey is in chunky mode but of course manages to edge in sultry filters loops throughout. Perfectly diversifying the album is Molly and her wicked roomy drum weapon ‘Forget Me Not’. The dreamy meander is an amazing curveball that the previous and upcoming tracks do not allude to. Genius producer Paul Cut is back for his second track of the release and ‘Go Zen’ like all his tracks are jam-packed full of soulful jazzy goodness.
Prolific French artist S3A wings in an unbelievably funky disco house monster ‘Xylo Fonk’ while Satoshi Tomiie hits the groove hard on ‘Everyday’ with hats that fizz so hard they almost distort. In a good way. Another French usual suspect is Seuil and he turns in the only breaks track of the release and the bassline on ‘Bat karé bordmer’ is about as killer as it gets. We hate to say it but we are nearing the end of this fantastic musical journey and old pal of the label Siler joins with Dima for ‘Merci à la régie’ a low-slung day time groover that will surely be spreading dancefloor smiles this summer.
The penultimate banger from TVFrom 86 is another planetry grade disco weapon and ‘Disco Proton’ will most definitely do great things at the peak of a night. Dulling things down to a quiet riot and Vadim Svoboda rounds an excellent journey with the jazzy yet bumping ‘Sable Emouvant (Pour Antoine & Dimitri)’. With tracks like this there is little doubt in our mind that Popcorn Records will be putting out a similarly epic VA for their twentieth anniversary.
Popcorn Records 10th Birthday Compilation is now available from Beatport.
More info on Popcorn Records
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