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Various Artists - The Best Of Cerrone Productions

Wham, bam – thank you… man

Cerrone is up there with Moroder as one of the all-time most influential European disco producers, complete with quintessential period album sleeves featuring his moustachio’d self surrounded by naked females. 1977’s Supernature (from Cerrone III) was his breakthrough smash (and Kenny Everrett’s TV show theme), selling four million and laying a template for mixing sleek, orchestral grooves with pulsing synths and space sounds. 

After starting with an outfit called Kongas, Cerrone notched up a string of sophisticated uptown disco smashes during the 70s and 80s, along with forays into rap and rock with outside productions for the likes of BOF Brigade Mondaine. These excursions have somewhat dated among the 36 tracks on this era-straddling collection. Indeed, while it’s illuminating to have so much Cerrone squeezed onto two CDs, there’s the feeling that this was music designed for the dancefloor; the original versions of Supernature, Cerrone’s Paradise, Je Suis Music and Love In C Minor were space-disco epics given the room to breathe (heavily). Here they appear at truncated 7” length – a quick rogering devoid of foreplay and panoramic climaxes. Some sleevenotes would have been useful too, but there’s no denying the seductive dexterity of a disco master at work.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Because | BEC 5161911 (2CD)

Reviewed by Kris Needs
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