Various Artists - Super Discount 2

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  • The first installment of Super Discount was released back in 1997 and was the CD that put Etienne De Crecy on the map for French electronica. The idea behind the original compilation was to paint a picture of Paris dance music in the 70s and the CD took on a deep dubby disco sound (it was necessary to dig the CD out of my extensive collection to review this one!). 7 years later and 2004 sees the release of volume 2 and this time the sound has matured to incorporate an 80s electro tech housey feel. The opening tune, Poisoned by Philippe Zdar & Etienne De Crecy exemplifies this sound perfectly - synth hooks and bouncing basslines all dripping with acid qualities. There's even a rising 303 line in the middle to confirm the fact. Julien Defaud, Alex Gopher & Etienne De Crecy's Fast Track turns up the tempo and features an 80s disco style guitar riff laid down on a thumping tech beat. It appears that Etienne De Crecy has been spending a lot of activity on the internet with the not-so-subtle selections for track names, most of them named after music and file sharing software. Bit Torrent features an arpeggio like melody, 80s style digi-drum drum fills, progressive acid line buildups and massive siren like noises. It's a big stadium rocking tune and is quite a contrast from the funkier and deeper Audio Galaxy which follows. A warm synth bass and synths which in turn play in unison with one another meet with quirky electro hooks. G2 by Mr Learn only lasts for 43 seconds and sounds like a cut & paste clash of 80s electro with chopped up bits of old 80s pop songs. The CD then takes a ride into deep and dark electro beats on Gifted a collaboration done with DJ Mehdi. A dark bubbling bass accompanies an acoustic guitar riff and long atmospheric synth lines before the CD closes out on an uplifting tip with Alex Gopher & EDC's Overnet dropping a progressively building electro hook that oscillates throughout the tune's 9 minutes gradually gaining momentum and then losing it. Super Discount 2 is an electro lovers dream - you get it all - the quirky hooks, 303 acid lines, bouncing bass lines and weird robotic samples cutting in and out. Perhaps a little on the repetitive side, nothing here really stands out and grabs your attention - the same can be said for volume 1 in some ways too (hands up those who found the "sensimilla, marijuana" vocal sample a bit annoying towards the end?) What's great though is they stuck to a theme throughout the entirety of the CD. Perhaps they could do a volume 3, this time with a 90s feel to it?
RA