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PERSONAL FAVOURITES OF 2004
Daniel Darc, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Renaud Papillon Paravel and the rest ...
Paris
31/12/2004 -
CLAUDY SIAR,
presenter of Couleurs Tropicales on RFI
Top 5 albums
Tiken Jah Fakoly Coup de gueule
Médhy Custos Serial Lover
Zeynab D'un endroit à un autre
DJ Jacob Carton rouge
Kaysha African Bohemian
Pick of the year: Médhy Custos Serial Lover
Unburdened of the glorious but weighty heritage left by Kassav (the group to whom we owe the musical definition of zouk), artists like Médhy Custos can now give free rein to their inspiration. Unlike a number of young singers who appear to have lost their way lately, producing syrupy "zouk love" ballads and mushy lyrics, Médhy has served up a string of hits based on authentic lyrics and original melodies. This talented singer, songwriter and composer encapsulates the present and future of zouk!
ALAIN PIL
OT,
presenter of La Bande passante on RFI
Top 5 albums
The Married Monk The Belgian kicks
Loïc Lantoine Badaboum
Renaud Papillon Paravel Subliminable
Interlope Electrified
Daniel Darc Crève cœur
Pick of the year: Daniel Darc Crève coeur
Darc, former lead singer with cult French 80s group Taxi Girl, reinvented himself as a solo act, re-emerging on the French music scene in the mid-90s with the excellent Nijinsky - an album which was a hit with the critics, but proved to be a commercial flop. Taxi Girl rocketed to fame in the 80s with their single Cherchez le garçon (Looking For the Boy), but from that point on Darc appeared to spend his time looking in vain. Darc finally found his alter ego in Frédéric Lô, a singer who stepped in to work as composer on Darc's latest album, Crève coeur. Darc and Lô made the perfect double act, Lô's haunting melodies wrapping themselves around Darc's melancholy poetic lyrics like a second skin. Crève coeur is a dark, brooding work guaranteed – as its title proclaims – to break your heart in two.
LAURENCE ALOIR,
presenter of Musiques du monde on RFI
Top 5 albums
Tinariwen Amassakoul (Mali)
Huong Thanh Mangustao (Vietnam )
Shainkho Namtchylak Who stole the sky?
(République de Tuva )
Toots And The Maytals True love (Jamaïca)
Festival gnaoua Essaouira Live 2003 (Morocco )
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Pick of the year: Tinariwen
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journalist in RFI's cultural service
Top 5 albums
Jeanne Cherhal Douze fois par an
Loïc Lantoine Badaboum
Bénabar Live au Grand Rex
Pink Martini Hang On Little Tomato
William Sheller Epures
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Pick of the year: La Grande Sophie
After more than a decade on the road, touring small low-key venues off the beaten track, this talented singer-songwriter is finally getting the recognition she deserves for her wonderful sense of fantasy and humour, her unrelenting talent as a melodist and her incredible on-stage presence. Having reached full artistic maturity, La Grande Sophie has earned her rightful place in the vanguard of the new French chanson revival. She has even proved to be the best at mixing a certain Anglo-Saxon musical heritage with French tradition. La Grande Sophie's last tour, which ended with her bringing the house down at the Olympia (in Paris), was a veritable triumph. Looks like La Grande Sophie's unstoppable rise to the top has just begun!
journalist and producer in RFI's English service
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Gérald Toto, Richard Bona, Lokua Kanza
Toto Bona Lokua
Bnegao & Os Seletores de Frequencia Enxugando Gelo
Pascal of Bollywood Pascal of Bollywood
David Murray and the Gwo-ka Masters Gwotet
Diaba Koita Diamadouassi
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producer and journalist at RFI Musique
Top 5 albums
Renaud Papillon Paravel Subliminable
Troublemakers Express Way
Avril Members Only
Dionysos Whatever The Weather
Luke La tête en arrière
Pick of the year: Renaud Papillon Paravel Subliminable
Disconcerting, strangely moving and definitely in a class of its own, the second album from this all too often overlooked singer delivers a convincing uppercut. Subliminable hits you squarely in the guts, knocking the breath out of you, ripping your legs out from under you and bringing instant tears to the eyes. In short, a rare pearl of an album that defies passing fashions and music fads. Masterly without ever being pompous. An absolute must!
FRANÇOIS POST,
producer at RFI Musique
Top 5 albums
Las Ondas Marteles Y Despues de Todos
Ray Lema Mizila
Youssou N'Dour Egypte
Teofilo Chantre Azulando
Taffetas Taffetas
CHRISTOPHE NICOLAIDIS,
producer at RFI Musique
Top 5 albums
Paris Barbès Tour Le son des nouveaux bleds urbains
Enzo Avitabile Salvamm'o Munno
Electric Gypsy Land (compilation)
Zuco 103 One Down, One Up
Orient Expression Divan
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producer and journalist at RFI Musique
Top 5 albums
Geoffrey Oryema Words (France/Ouganda)
Kinky Atlas (Mexique)
Bid Bambas y Biritas (Brésil)
Nirgilis New Standard (Japon)
Bersuit La argentinidad al palo (Argentine)
Pick of the year: Nikos Portokaloglou Dipsa (Greece)
So you thought Greek music had nothing more to offer than Zorba and Nana Mouskouri? Well, Dipsa proves you very wrong indeed! This consummate modern pop album holds its own on the music alone. No need to understand a word of Greek, Dipsa instantly transports you to Hellenic shores, vibrating with the poetry and the occasional epic scope of its lyrics. Nikos Portokaloglou's album avoids any hint of cliché thanks to carefully honed arrangements which fuse traditional sounds with reggae, rock and modern programming.
ERIC FRANÇAIX,
musical programmer at RFI Musique,
Top 5 albums
Jean-Louis Murat A Bird On A Poire
Miossec 1964
Daby Toure Diam
Ben Harper & The Blind Boys Of Alabama There Will Be A Light
Amadou & Mariam Dimanche a Bamako
JEAN-BAPTISTE VOILLEMIN,
musical programmer at RFI Musique,
Top 5 albums
An Pierle Helium Sunset (2003)
Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand
The Roots The Tipping Point
Daniel Darc Crève coeur
Cali L'Amour parfait (2003)
