As the title suggests,
Paris City Coffee
showcases mellow, mostly French
electronica
and
electronic
pop
, including
Air
's breezy remix of
Ollano
's
"Latitudes"
Thievery Corporation
's similarly smooth treatment of
Emilie Simon
"Desert,"
as well as
Francois K
's remix of
Femi Kuti
"Sorry Sorry"
King Britt
Kuti
"Traitors of Africa."
Modjo
"Savior Eyes"
Cerrone
's 1978 track
"Music of Life"
are cleverly paired, reflecting the bright
disco
elements that have influenced French
dance
music for nearly three decades.
Simon Says
'
"Late at Night"
is another highlight, pairing a shuffling, slightly delayed beat a la
Gary Glitter
"Rock & Roll, Pt. 2"
with mostly spoken vocals and simple but effective touches of brass and keyboards. Other standout tracks include
Kojak
's suave
"Crime in the City,"
Brigitte Bardot
's early-'70s single
"Neu au Soleil,"
Novo Navis
"Cyberkraft,"
which, with its deadpan vocals, stomping
house
beat, and analog synth tweaking, is a kissing cousin of
Daft Punk
Mirwais
' work. However, this is the only track on the whole collection that fits into that mold; despite the late-'90s feel of much of
, its eclecticism and its smooth atmosphere make it a worthwhile compilation. ~ Heather Phares