REVIEW: St. Germain - Boulevard (New Version 2002, Complete Series)

St. Germain - Boulevard (New Version 2002, Complete Series)

If it wasn't already completely brilliant back in it's original 1995 incarnation, St. Germain (aka: Ludovic Navarre) has gone and made an already superb album in to a stupendous album. And with great style too.

This release, although superb is geared as a release for the USA market. Mainly after the awesome album Tourist sold in excess of 200,000 copies in the USA, Blue Note picked up Boulevard and added to this great album to then put out for US customers.

Although not quite in the same league as Tourist, this is an astonishing debut album. If your a fan of works by the likes of Miguel Migs, Kevin Yost, Naked NYC, The Dining Rooms or Gus Gus, your going to love this. This is a definitive 90's house album, an album that pushes the boundaries of deep, shamanic, jazz laden, sexy grooves, yet also had (and still has) the power to provide inspiration for much of the Lounge, Deep House and Nu-Jazz talent we see emerging in the deep house scene of the new millenium. But it's not just about that, Boulevard's joys lay in it's simplicity, it's construction and it's sheer eclecticism. It is also an album of incredible self-indulgence, but of the kind that doesn't rub off as being cocky and showy; moreso in that it proves yet provides. Provides in spades too it does.

From the sumptuous, soulful jazz and hip-hop of tracks like Forget It, to the 15minute mindblowing deep, salsa riddled opening track Street Scene (4 Shazz), this album has something for even the pickiest of customers. Personal favourites for me are the aformentioned Forget It and the simply stunning deep house namechecker What's New?. Breathtacking stuff indeed.

If you missed out on this album the first time round, or are new and simply want to check out what this scene is all about, you could do no worse than buying/downloading this album. To be honest, if your a fan of this genre and you don't own a copy, you officially suck.

I'll be going to the record store tomorrow then...

FINAL SCORE: 8/10

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