Search - Francois K :: Essential Mix

A music critic's fantasy but nothing special for a listener

Richard Diaz | 10/15/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I could go on about Francois K's legacy as a DJ for over two decades, and how this collection of trend-setting tracks constructs a crucial framework for New York music of the past 25 years. But not so fast. Let's strip away the names and critical raves - how does this two-disc set sound now?Be aware that the selection is based more on important or influential songs, not the crowd favorites or those that later improved on the dance formula. Within that context, many of the choices are still credible (and some incredible) with disc one displaying a more consistent rare groove and house vibe. "Love Money" by Funkmasters, "Squib cakes" by Tower of Power, and offerings by Chaka Khan and James Brown (and others) still retain the magic to move you. Francois K aims for the broadest possible picture with only 33 tracks to pick, which makes the surprisingly duff choices even harder to take. Level 42's "Starchild," while holding some corny novelty, certainly doesn't belong; Earth, Wind and Fire drop a clunker with "In the Stone," and Wally Badarou's "Mambo" is simply too basic. Those are the obvious choices, the rest will depend on your tastes. Come disc two the frenetic flipping of styles reaches a frenzied pitch: from drum and bass to garage to echo-techno into Kraftwerk then De La Soul rap and gospel house- that's the first half of the album. A music critic's fantasy but neither a journey nor smooth listen. Eclectic scope by itself isn't a virtue; without consistency you end up with a cleverly packaged mix tape of some classic cuts. I don't mind the history lesson, but learning could have been more fun. Grade: B-"

Yep

Curmudgeon | West Australia | 04/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A great compilation showcasing more than two decades of dance music. Mr Kevorkian's taste is impeccable so what's on offer is excellent, even if the canvas is just a little too broad and the tracks don't so much flow as remain individual examples of specific styles. What we want now is a compilation of Mr K's favourite remixes: he's remixed everyone from Kraftwerk to Cesaria Evora to Romeo Void (O where can I get his mix of A Girl in Trouble?). His Essential Mix is a good indicator of where this man's musical boundaries lie."

Almost like being there

Zain Rashid | Irving, TX United States | 04/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"this one IS meant for the multitudes... yes, throw 'em all into a closed hall, pump a couple of drinks in 'em, put some dude with a 5pm shadow in a dark corner up there somewhere (they'll think it's HIM, heh he), start the cd... wait 30 minutes and turn on the sprinklers... they'll thank you later!"