Description: Few compilations outlast time. And even fewer of them are able to permanently reinvent themselves - without losing its inner values. Le Cafe Abstrait Vol. 6, the long awaited edition of Raphael Marionneau's legendary down-tempo compilation series, is one of them. And, no doubt, Raphael's very first double CD sets the bar high.
Welcome home, bienvenue au cafe abstrait. With Le Cafe Abstrait Vol. 6 the founder of the pioneering ‘Couch Culture’ from Hamburg's Mojo Club comes back with possibly his greatest compilation. Three years have passed since his last compilation - three years in which Raphael listened to thousands of tracks from producers from all around the globe and got lost of new inspirations whilst spinning Germany's and Europe's finest clubs.
The result is a double CD that authentically reflects Raphael's love for multifarious music - from piano pieces a la Debussy and Vivaldi to organic Instrumentals and finally to electronic, spherical and more clubby titles. Whereas earlier volumes of the Le Cafe Abstrait series had more abstract titles (e.g. Vol. 3 - These so simple places), Raphael now gives his first double CD with ‘le printemps’ (spring) and ‘l'automne’(autumn) a more tangible framework.
On ‘le printemps’ the native French presents a selection of 15 titles that evoke pictures of a jaunty spring morning. The day just started, the dew drops on the apple blossoms glitter like pearls in the warm sunlight, the fog disappears - the spirit of optimism is all around. As fresh samples, try Sine's ‘Dreamin’, Stehen Thottrup's ‘El Alba’ and Michael E's ‘I Love You’ - promising newcomers of the global down-tempo-scene, that Raphael discovered and selected during his investigations.
‘l'automne’ invites the listener to explore a different, a more silent and more organic world that reminds us to an atmospheric autumn evening. It's dark outside, the November rain crackles against the windows, the first storm howls around the house. But inside there is a warm open fire, the smell of spicy tea is all around, and the whole situation breathes cosiness. The range of artists that Raphael selected reaches from Sven-Väth-producer Ralf Hildenbeutel to the Danish Down-tempo band Bliss and to Jonson, one of the most respected German Ambient-producers. The result is a harmonic and subtle melange of electronic and classical music.
Is it coincidence that Le Cafe Abstrait Vol. 6 hits the stores right after the legendary Mojo Club was torn down? Well, yes. 12 years after Raphael's eponymous Le Cafe Abstrait, the compilation series hived off. Just like the white zeppelin, the official symbol of Raphael's cafe, his music is always moving. And as long as the world originates talented producers, whose music reflects the soul of Le Cafe Abstrait, that won't change. |
