Kitsune Maison Volume 8

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10 November 2009, 12:01 | Written by Danny Wadeson

(Albums)

Kitsune is a French music and fashion label so synonymous with quality and so permanently chic that it stands inevitably to reason that Kitsune Maison 8, their latest compilation of achingly on trend bands, is top bloody notch.The album opens innocently enough, all surf pop and catchy electro-lite courtesy of The Drums, French Horn Rebellion and Siriusmo. Special mention goes out to Le Corps Mince De Francoise’s ‘Something Golden’ which is instantly recognizable as a high point upon first listen due to the distinct motif and the charismatic female vox, sounding like a cross between CSS and Bat For Lashes messing around with moogs.Ever dependable Australian dancehall revivalists Midnight Juggernauts mark the end of the first quarter, and in so doing usher in a slightly darker, heavier yet still accessible main section. It takes following track ‘Dance Till Dawn’ by Heartsrevolution to make you remember just how infernally sexy Kitsune bands are; the track fully embraces a sleazy, more industrial ethos, replete with heavily produced yet enticingly sensual vocals. By excellently named 7th track ‘Junocide‘ courtesy of Logo we’re firmly in instrumental electro territory; with lunar sci-fi swirls and wisps of wind.The album proceeds in this way for a short while, getting progressively heavier, darkier, grimier and obscure. It asks you stop concentrating on the achingly quirky vocals and easy drops and get down to the business at hand, (or rather foot) and just get totally stuck in. If this compilation was played straight through in some Shoreditch fashionista haven it would be around the track 11 mark (‘Friction Between The Lovers’ as performed by Japanese rockers Anwe) that even the most die-hard of posers would surely throw caution and over-long fringes to the wind and just dance like no-one is watching.Virtually every track is excellent; your appreciation of them individually will vary only very slightly according to how heavy you like your electro-pop. Stand out tracks that exemplify Kitsune’s signature sound abound, taken from ‘Memory Tapes’, the Two Door Cinema Club track ‘I Can Talk‘ as remixed by the insanely gifted and frighteningly young French producer ‘Moulinex’, and the manic, borderline breakbeats of the spanglish Crystal Fighters ‘I Love London’.Proof be, if ever proof were needed, that Kitsune are still incredibly relevant in terms of the intelligent mainland electro scene, Kitsune Maison 8 is an amazing and gratifying cross section of a sound. If you’re even vaguely familiar with the Kitsune family then you’ll find a beautiful collection here (though of course only a few of the tracks are taken from actual Kitsune signings). If you’re usually put off by music made by constituent members of the Pantheon of Cool then approach this offering with an open mind and you’ll still be able to look past the context to the incredible melodies, drops and textures made available herein. The house that Kitsune built is more of a palace, a solid testament to the best that modern electro has to offer. The doors are wide open; everyone is invited, the party is sure to be off the fucking hook.