Pépé Bradock - Exodus 8

  • House music's original weirdo returns with his strongest release in years.
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  • Before DJ Sotofett, the current grandmaster of oddball house, there was Pépé Bradock. Pushing a sound somewhere between Theo Parrish and scuffed jazz 10-inch, Bradock has released dozens of timeless tunes, many blurring the line between what's suitable for peak-time at a club and what should be reserved for afterparties at home. This Parisian veteran makes unconventional music that still gets played in clubs most weekend, and he's back with his best release in years. Exodus 8, slipped out through his Atavisme label, is Bradock at his most functional, but that's not saying much. We still get random disruptions in the groove, as the tracks move through a range of moods and tones. Even so, it's easy to imagine them winning over a busy dance floor—as long as they're delivered through a fat soundsystem. "Is This Really A Party?" is the darker option. The bassline hums as samples click and whirr, adding colour to the sparse platform below. The track disintegrates a few times, which is the kind of move that—depending on the mood in the room—either clears a dance floor or livens it. Chugging hi-hats, vocals and a cheery lead melody make "Grandgousier" a more obvious banger, and probably a safer option to bring out at a party. But like the A-side it's anything but conventional, often on the verge of total collapse. For anyone spinning Baba Stiltz, Axel Boman and other new-wave house weirdos, be sure to leave room in your crates for one of the originals.
  • Tracklist
      A Is This Really A Party? B Grandgousier
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