French Touch classic from Parisian duo Philippe Zdar and Boombass! Cassius often gets overlooked in French house retrospectives, easily eclipsed by the work of Daft Punk. But while the pre-robotic duo were pushing their Junos through Boss Metal Zone pedals, Zdar (R.I.P.) and Boombass were busy crafting a cleaner, more sample-based sound that Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo would come to replicate a couple of years later on Discovery. Cassiuss debut album 1999 is a timestamp of dance music in the final months before the new Millennium;a culmination oftheir downtempo-flavored early Mo Wax singles (they previouslyflew under the La Funk Mob guise) and Zdar’s deep house backgroundwith Etienne De Crcy as Motorbass. Hit tracks like “Feeling for You,” “Cassius 1999,” and “La Mouche” take influence from 80s Chicago House and combine it with a choppy-funk sound that would characterize the Ed Banger artist roster throughout the aughts. 16 tracks on black double vinyl, with a bonus copy on CD.

• debut album from influential French Touch duoPhilippe Zdar +Hubert Blanc-Francard (BoomBass)
• black double vinyl pressing
• includes CD
• housed in gatefold sleeve
• music label:Because Music 2018

reviewed by SHH! 10/2021