Originally half of the "promising duo" (Tsugi) ALVA, Berzingue's discography speaks for itself, with several EPs released on Pont Neuf Records over the years, some of which have been supported by Laurent Garnier and Janeret, to name a few. Add to that a release on Chez Damier's Inner Balance, and the launch of his own label Virage, and it's not hard to see why he's attracted the attention of his peers. Now as a solo artist, he released his first maxi Quitter Paname in 2022 on Pont Neuf Records. His second and new EP Architectures puts him definitely on the map of artists to follow.
Review: Pont Neuf, a pivotal player in the vibrant French house scene, stands as an independent music label with some 40 releases over seven years. Notable artists like Tour-Maubourg, Oden & Fatzo, Mira Ló, THEOS, Cosmonection, and Vitess have graced the label - for starters. Marking their seventh anniversary, this annual compilation series, Hexagonal Club, spotlights both established and emerging artists who define the evolving French house wave - leafing heavily from classic American genres like disco, ballroom and mid-western house to B-boy electro and deep, modern swoon to boot. Get Hexagonal
Review: Inspired by his belief in the similarities between his day job as an architect and his approach to music-making, Berzingue's second solo EP for Pont Neuf is a self-confessed showcase for the producer's love of exploring "different genres and formats, while staying true" to his "trademark sound". It's an undeniably attractive affair, with highlights including the dreamy two-step-goes-deep house loveliness of 'Panorama', the rolling, melody-rich deep house bump of 'Dehli' and the more sci-fi-sounding, early morning bump of 'Mausolee'. Elsewhere, 'Night Cruise' is an attractive roller built around a darting, squelchy-sounding bassline, crunchy drums and immersive pads, and 'One' joins the dots between electro, organ bassline-propelled garage and tactile deep house sonics.
Review: Many happy returns to much-loved French imprint Pont Neuf, who have decided to mark their sixth birthday with an expansive compilation of new tracks from a mix of label regulars and newcomers. It's a predictably strong set all told, with the label's usual high-grade deep house cuts being joined by a range of delicious dancefloor diversions and surprise workouts. There's not room to pick out all the highlights, but our current favourites include the gently acid-flecked, soon-to-be-anthemic positivity of Tour-Maubourg's 'Square Sounds', the dubbed-out, off-kilter micro-house brilliance of Flabbaire's 'Tribute', the vibraphone-sporting deep house rush of 'Cosmopolitan' by Maoke, Mira Lo's trance-inducing 'Look What You've Done' and the sparse, sub-heavy jack of Saudade's 'Sherman'.
Review: Although he built his reputation as one half of Alva, Raphael Bureau-Mirat has devoted more time to solo productions over the last 18 months, serving up a series of singles as Berzingue on Pont Neuf. 'Woodflaure', the title track from his latest single, is an excellent example of his now trademark sound: a chunky, rolling deep house number built around jazzy synth bass, undulating acid lines, cowbell-loaded drums, subtle disco samples and ear-pleasing pads. His love of psychedelic, high-register TB-303 motifs come to the fore once more on 'L'impasse', a more bouncy affair that sits somewhere between contemporary Parisian tech-house and dreamy, life-affirming deep house.
Review: Hexagonal Club isn't a real nightclub, just the name given by Paris-based Pont Neuf to their compilations showcasing fresh electronic grooves from up-and-coming French artists (France being known colloquially as 'l'Hexagone', you see). And what a compilation Volume 2 is: few things in life get this writer as excited as a collection of quality deep house jams from people you've never heard of, and this album ticks that particular box nicely! The over-riding influence is deep house from the Heard/Trent/Damier school but there's room too for everything from the Italo/prog stylings of Fasme's 'Turbo Blaster' to the left coast-ish bump of THEOS's 'Wanna Go Out'. Get 'em while they're chaud, people!
Review: Under the ALVA alias, Raphael Bureau-Mirat and Alexander Gueri previously impressed via releases on Chez Damier's Inner Balance imprint and Parisian label Pont Neuf. Here they return to the latter as Calmos & Berzingue, bringing with them a bolder and more forthright collection of cuts. They begin by peppering a bouncy beat with jaunty synth riffs and smile-inducing chords on 'Java', before opting for chunkier, heavier bass, psychedelic acid lines and a few exotic melodic flourishes on the rather good 'Pali Kao'. 'Piat' is a sunnier, warmer and slicker slab of tactile deep house gold, while 'Burnouf' is a wonderfully positive, retro-futurist house treat.
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