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Favorite France
Browse the latest digital releases on Favorite France
Played by: Juno Recommends Disco
Review: Since first pitching up on Favorite Recordings a few years back, Russian saxophonist Andre Solomko has delivered a string of impressive albums and singles that gleefully join the dots between smooth jazz, '80s jazz-funk and Afro-fired disco-funk. Le Deltaplane, his latest full-length excursion, explores similar sonic territory, moving from languid, jazz-funk-influenced soul ("Le Deltaplane") and deliciously smooth and glassy-eyed disco-jazz ("Moonbeach Disco"), to heavy Afro-disco brilliance ("Le Premier Disco Sans Toi") via a range of sumptuous, solo-heavy workouts that sound like that could have been featured on a sought-after, turn-of-the-'80s jazz-funk obscurity. Throughout, Solomko and company's instrumentation is little less than sublime.
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FVR 142
11 May 18
Disco/Nu-Disco
11 May 18
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Macedonia has never been known as a hotbed of disco. It's perhaps this that makes Arian's eponymous 1981 album such a remarkable set. Here re-mastered and reissued by Favorite for the first time since it was initially released in ultra-limited quantities, the set is bristling with dewy-eyed, boogie era disco treats. It was recorded in New York with local musicians, and you can tell. There's a genuine authenticity to the likes of AOR disco anthem "Your Love Makes Me A Winner", the punchy, horn-heavy disco-boogie brilliance of "Can't Say Goodbye", K.I.D style dancefloor heaviness of "Sure It's Funky" and blue-eyed soul shuffler "Still Together". As with the original album, the reissue also contains Croatian language versions of the same superb tracks.
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FVR 128
02 Jun 17
Disco/Nu-Disco
02 Jun 17
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Kenneth Bager // Musicfordreams
Review: Despite his classical training, composer-turned-producer Al Sunny is more interested in classic soul, West Coast rock and the sun-kissed fusion work of 1970s Brazilian artists. Time To Decide is his debut album, and it's really rather good. Sunny is a talented songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist capable of creating perfectly produced songs that bristle with warm, sun-kissed nostalgia. Highlights include the Steely Dan-esque vibes of "Beautiful Lady", the dancefloor-friendly jazz-funk headiness of "Don't Let Nobody Know" and "Open Up Your Eyes", and the brilliant "Since I've Been Loving You", which sounds like a tooled-up take on Beatles circa "Got To Get You Into My Life". Sunny's cover of Ned Doheny's "Give it Up For Love" is also something of a treat.
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FVR 134
19 May 17
Disco/Nu-Disco
19 May 17
Disco/Nu-Disco
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FVR 133
28 Apr 17
International
28 Apr 17
International
Various / Charles Maurice
Review: For the third volume in his consistently superb AOR Global Sounds compilation series, Charles Maurice has largely opted to showcase tracks that combine West Coast rock flavours with disco and soul influences. It's a heady and intoxicating collection, where the blue-eyed soul/jazz-funk fusion of "Girl" by Stratus rubs shoulders with the horn-heavy, electrofunk era AOR cheeriness of Willy Santana's "Mais Uma Chance" and the '80s soul smoothness of Omega Sunrise's "Heartbreaker". Other highlights include the rubbery boogie bass and Steely Dan guitar passages of Billy Always' "More Than A Minute" and the drowsy warmth of Jon Konteau's synth-laden "The Heckler", which comes on like the Steve Miller Band jamming with Moon B.
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FVR 130LP
21 Apr 17
Disco/Nu-Disco
21 Apr 17
Disco/Nu-Disco
Various
Played by: Tomasz Guiddo
Review: During its late '70s and early '80s heyday, France's disco-boogie scene tended towards the eccentric. Yet despite the camp, tongue-in-cheek feel adopted by many French bands and producers, much of the music was of an impressively high standard. That much is clear from Charles Maurice's second French Disco Boogie Sounds compilation. Packed full of slick, synthesizer-driven material and punchy, horn-heavy disco-funk thrillers (see the Teena Marie style "Movin" by Jackie Esam), it's a fine collection of Gallic dancefloor treats. You're unlikely to find a better example of jazz-funk positivity than Black Bells Group's "Talk Me Mam's", while Messan's "Keep Cool" is a lesson in thrusting, up-tempo disco sweatiness.
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FVR 122
14 Oct 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
14 Oct 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: 1981's An Eye For An Eye is, to this day, the only LP produced by Byrne & Barnes together, and it's as playful and fresh as the first day it came out. While it's a little more on the synth side of things, it reminds us of other blue-eyed soul artists such as Ned Doheny, and throughout its eleven tunes, there's plenty of romance, mystique and soul-ridden funk. Think of it as the prototypical bridge between a 70's jazz-funk LP and the beginning of pop music as we know it today. Blue-eyed soul at its finest!
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FVR 118
17 Jun 16
Pop
17 Jun 16
Pop
Played by: Superbreak
Review: The man behind the Magic Source project, German producer Bjorn Wagner, is best known for creating revivalist funk and soul under a dizzying variety of aliases. Magic Source, though, takes a different approach, with Wagner applying his magic touch to the world of cosmic disco. Earthrising is the project's first full-length, and is built around straight-to-tape recordings of Wagner and his numerous musical collaborators. Undeniably dusty in feel, the album's seven tracks variously touch on Afro-funk, Space style French cosmic disco, hustling disco-funk, Caribbean disco-funk, and tricky-to-pigeonhole workouts. As you'd expect, it's wonderfully played and produced, with Wagner capturing the spirit of the original era, whilst putting his own distinctive spin on proceedings.
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FVR 114
17 Jun 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
17 Jun 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Led by zouk music hero, Franck Donatien, Crystal was an eight-piece combo from the French West-Indies. They originally released two albums back in the mid-'80s, and now Favorite Recordings have proudly acquired the rights to reissue the first one, 1984's Music Life. Boasting bass, guitars, synthersizers, two drummers and a whole brass section, to name but a few, this ain't no minimalist jam. Instead there are six examples of high-end musicianship, songs and grooves. Highlights include the strutting clavinet-heavy boogie of "Music Life", the proggy Cuban jazz freak out "Santo Domingo" and the Latin cocktail lounge seducer "Lan Mise".
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FVR 119
06 May 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
06 May 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: A blue eyed soul singer from Hawaii, Greg Yoder first this LP, Dreamer Of Life, back in 1976. Now French label Favourite have acquired the rights to this long forgotten musical anomaly. Appearing on the cover like a kind of American soft rock radio hero, the record serves up a deeper, more interesting artist at work. "If There's A Chance Tomorrow" is like a particularly dreamy Bee Gees ballad, "Parchment Farm" is a bizarre, xylophone-drenched jazz-scat jive and "Golden Lady" is pure beach-waves-at-night romanticism. Further on we get Latin trumpet lounge on "She's My Lady" and even campfire balladry on the mournful "You Must Have". A rare find.
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FVR 117
22 Apr 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
22 Apr 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
Various
Review: French label Favourite Recordings tend to recruit the finest crate diggers for their revered compilations, none more so than Charles Maurice (French Disco Boogie Sounds). Here he returns to the label to present his second instalment of his AOR Global Sounds series. Adult Orientated Rock dominated the charts in the 1980s, especially in America, but originally it was a less brash, mellower genre akin to Yacht Rock. Here he selects more deep cuts from those early days, ones that touched on jazz, soul and disco. Being an adult has never been so much fun!
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FVR 116
08 Apr 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
08 Apr 16
Disco/Nu-Disco
Waxist / Various
Review: When Favorite Recordings decide to do a crate-digging compilation, they rarely get it wrong. Following recent Disco Boogie Sounds selections focusing on Brazilian and French fare, they've recruited dusty-fingered DJ Waxist to put together a Caribbean-themed edition. Predictably, he's picked some suitably obscure disco, boogie and disco-funk killers. Highlights come thick and fast, from the winding synthesizer lines, swinging disco-funk grooves and intergalactic sound effects of Musicism's "Bermuda Triangle", to the Clavinet-laden shuffle of Eddie & The Movement's "Macho Man", and the hard-wired reggae-boogie business of Barry Bryson's "Going To The Party".
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FVR 110
27 Nov 15
Disco/Nu-Disco
27 Nov 15
Disco/Nu-Disco
Review: Wherever it's made, disco is exotic, sumptuous and sexy. However when it's made somewhere that actually is exotic, sumptuous and sexy, well, then the sparks really fly! Brazil and disco have always been fiery lovers, and here we are presented with three tantric gems from that part of the world. "Relax" provides smooth, loungey vibes complete with strong vocal harmonies and cocktail effect atmospheres, while "Ripa Na Xulips" follows with a perkier, almost Italo-disco, synth-funk vibe. Finally "Labirinto" is slightly schmaltzy Casio-led crooner (think early '80s Latin soap theme).
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FVR 103
05 Jun 15
Disco/Nu-Disco
05 Jun 15
Disco/Nu-Disco
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FVR 100
22 May 15
Deep House
22 May 15
Deep House
Various
Review: Having previously celebrated Brazil's disco-boogie scene, Favourite Recordings has decided to apply the same formula to French music from a similar period. With noted crate digger Charles Maurice at the helm, the selections are naturally impressive, and feature a mix of suitable obscure fare and quirky, major label released oddities, with vocals in French and heavily accented English. Maurice provides a number of excellent re-edits, too, breathing new life into Kelly's hands-in -the-air sing-along "DrAle Dahistoire D'Amour", a wonderfully sweet and breezy jam from Bernard Guyvan, and the sun-kissed, horn-heavy brilliance of Beckie Bell's "Music Madness".
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FVR 101
08 May 15
Disco/Nu-Disco
08 May 15
Disco/Nu-Disco
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Review: Here we have the debut album from self-confessed 'sunshine pop' musician Lucas Arruda. Now 30, Lucas spent his formative years playing in hard rock bands but was converted to soul and jazz by a deadly seductress (a vintage Fender Rhodes actually) in his early 20s. This impressive long-planned long player features a cornucopia of styles and moods, including the lazy 70s soul of opener "Physis", the gentle Rio-funk of "Tamba (Pt1), the smooth vocals of "Who's That Lady?" and the lilting bossa nova of "Alma Nova".
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FVR 077
17 May 13
Funk
17 May 13
Funk
Played by: Dj N◉va ▶ Rodon FM 95
Review: Here we have the debut album from self-confessed 'sunshine pop' musician Lucas Arruda. Now 30, Lucas spent his formative years playing in hard rock bands but was converted to soul and jazz by a deadly seductress (a vintage Fender Rhodes actually) in his early 20s. This impressive long-planned long player features a cornucopia of styles and moods, including the lazy 70s soul of opener "Physis", the gentle Rio-funk of "Tamba (Pt1), the smooth vocals of "Who's That Lady?" and the lilting bossa nova of "Alma Nova".
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FVR 080
12 Apr 13
Funk
12 Apr 13
Funk
Various
Review: France's Favourite Records gives us the fourth instalment of their series that marries lost classics with contemporary productions. Either way it's all top quality vintage-sounding stuff at work here from funk staples like The Melton Brothers Band's "I'll Take You There" to the radio friendly vibes of Lee McDonald's "Gotta Get Home", Cleon & Jazzy Pidjay's fret-blistering Latino workout "Samba A L'Aeroport" and Mr Day's enchanting "Queen Of The Minstrels".
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FVR 076DIG
30 Nov 12
Funk
30 Nov 12
Funk
Played by: Juno Recommends Funk
Review: New Jersey funk and hip-hop nabob The Real Fake MC teams up with French producer Patchworks for this debut album, which digs deep into the history of P-Funk and Sugarhill on tracks like the Gap Band-esque "Hunt Ya Sunshine" or the Kurtis Blow-recalling "Hey Kids".
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FVR 072
24 May 12
Funk
24 May 12
Funk
Review: This release marks the debut of Anglo-french singer Joy Poirel (AKA Joyzza) and backing combo The Joyous Juice (Florian "Flow" Pellissier, Thibaut Brandalise and Virgile Raffaeli). Both tracks are rather charming, offering a sweet, soft-focus take on soul laden with jazz-funk intent. "If I Ruled The World" is an unlikely success in many ways, proof that strange, soulful covers of old Nas hip-hop classics can work well. Even better, though, is original composition "She Song". Poirel's vocals soar, while the Joyous Juice's backing is noticeably tougher and breezier, with some neat jazz guitar touches and a Latin finish to the beats. In a word: summery.
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FVR 042
26 Mar 12
Hip Hop/R&B
26 Mar 12
Hip Hop/R&B
Various
Review: French label Favourite has always been a reliable source of warm and comfy goodtime grooves, from floor-friendly modern soul and heartening jazz-funk to dub reggae and contemporary disco. This third label compilation mines their rich back catalogue to present an enjoyable selection of sounds from their roster. Highlights are, naturally, plentiful, from the deep piano jazz of Buddy Sativa and smooth neo-soul of Hazel to the dubwise strut of The Dynamics, Mr President's afro-tinged floorfillers and the synth boogie revivalism of Walter Mecca. There's also a typically sparse hip-hop outing from Onra that's well worth a gander.
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FVR 064
09 Dec 11
Balearic/Downtempo
09 Dec 11
Balearic/Downtempo
Review: A full-length album from modern soul singer Hawa, who first came on our radar after the effortlessly funky single "The Best Is Yet To Come" (done in collaboration with Mr President). Here, all manner of rootsy and organic funk styles are out in force: the Motown-ish swing of "I Was Born To Love" for example, the slow skank of the title tune and "Never Give Up", and the slo-mo fusion of "Trickery Shit" all demonstrate Hawa's dynamism, while the excellent Northern Soul swagger of "Coming Back" has "single" written all over it.
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FVR 053
10 Jun 11
Funk
10 Jun 11
Funk
Review: As vocalist with funky sensations The Dynamics (famous for their awesome covers of "Seven Nation Army" and "Move On Up" amongst others) Cameroon-born Mounam has already delighted legions of fans with her unique and soulful tones. Now she steps out on a solo mission, backed up by Parisian band Trevor and Lisa, and it's a resounding success. Tight brass and afro-beat drums give Mounam the perfect backing for her sharp and powerful vocals, as does the slower Dwilt Sharp mix that accompanies the single.
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FVR 039
02 Apr 10
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
02 Apr 10
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
Review: Buddy Sativa is another of the French soul jazz artists causing a stir at the moment. On "Mystic Voyage" he drops two tracks that merge keys, brass sections, bass and percussion in that classic Parisian way. A talented musician, Sativa knows how to compose music in various different styles and is therefore able to communicate his vision of music across a number of platforms.
His first instrument of composition was always keys, then came the machines and samples, allowing him to build the tracks around his key parts. The title track is a cover of Roy Ayers, reworked with Savita?s own approach. For him, Ayers' music was essential to the development of his own and was therefore an obvious choice for someone to cover. After a hazy intro, Sativa sets off into his improvisational swing jazz style. A big band with bright brass joins a heavy rhythm section in a full on jazz tribute to the original. Sativa's interest in and knowledge of rhythm, particularly through west African drums, becomes more apparent on "Una Peripecia" though. Although it is actually Onra on drumming duty within the track, we hear all the elements of percussion that Sativa holds dearly.
His workout on the keys joins Onra's drums and deep bass, creating a latin jazz feel that resides throughout. This is imaginative and improvisational jazz with a contemporary feel. As French imprint Favourite Recordings continue to press music of this sentiment to such high standards, the world is becoming more and more familiar with the likes of Buddy Sativa.
His first instrument of composition was always keys, then came the machines and samples, allowing him to build the tracks around his key parts. The title track is a cover of Roy Ayers, reworked with Savita?s own approach. For him, Ayers' music was essential to the development of his own and was therefore an obvious choice for someone to cover. After a hazy intro, Sativa sets off into his improvisational swing jazz style. A big band with bright brass joins a heavy rhythm section in a full on jazz tribute to the original. Sativa's interest in and knowledge of rhythm, particularly through west African drums, becomes more apparent on "Una Peripecia" though. Although it is actually Onra on drumming duty within the track, we hear all the elements of percussion that Sativa holds dearly.
His workout on the keys joins Onra's drums and deep bass, creating a latin jazz feel that resides throughout. This is imaginative and improvisational jazz with a contemporary feel. As French imprint Favourite Recordings continue to press music of this sentiment to such high standards, the world is becoming more and more familiar with the likes of Buddy Sativa.
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FVR 040
26 Mar 10
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
26 Mar 10
Broken Beat/Nu Jazz
