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Like all of life's finest jigsaws, it's hard to see the whole
picture until the last piece is fully in place. Such is the
reality of Paris and its oft talked about, much hyped and
wholly inspirational dance underground. ALEX GOPHER is the
missing piece in the Paris jigsaw. Without him, your picture
is totally incomplete.
The reason is simple; back in the day, before the eyes of
the media descended on France's capital city, it was Alex
who was laying down the foundations of what was to follow.
His early forays into instrumental sampladelic funk inextricably
tied into much of what was to follow. Despite the fact that
he took his 'Gopher' moniker from a somewhat sleazy character
on the 1970's ultra kitsch "Love Boat" TV show!
The Gopher story begins not on a cruise but in the Paris suburb
of Versailles where, in 1985 when the young musician was in
a band with fellow beat visionaries, Nicolas Godin, Jean-Benoit
Dunckel and Xavier Jamaux. The band was called Orange and
for some six years they were Versailles leading indie kids.
In 1991 Alex teamed up with Nicolas to work on an early electronic
project, however the latter felt uncomfortable with this direction
and decided to join forces with Jean-Benoit once again to
pursue a more poppy style. A few years later Nicolas and Jean-Benoit
were better known as Air while Xavier Jamaux was critically
lauded under the guise of Bang Bang.
Long before his comrades had reached such famed heights -
or indeed recorded a single note - Alex Gopher had turned
his exploration of the sample frenzied world of electronic
music into the classic "Gopher EP" in 1995. It was
a landmark single for the nascent Paris scene for many reasons.
Firstly it was among the first tracks to epitomise that downtempo
funk groove that Paris has become renowned for through artists
as diverse as Kid Loco, Mighty Bop, Air and Alex Gopher of
course. Secondly, it was the debut release on Solid, the label
set up by Gopher, Etienne de Crecy and Pierre Michel Levallois,
two friends – and rival co-band members - from those
early Orange days (Pierre Michel was a promoter who fancied
himself as Orange's tour manager, while Etienne went onto
form the hugely influential Motorbass with Philipe Zdar).
The "Gopher EP" was also notable for it's stunning
silver sleeve. Created from the technique known as 'heliophore',
the sleeve actually cost more than the single to produce.
Despite the fact that the technique was invented by Alex's
grandfather!
In order to save money the Solid massive glued the sleeves
themselves at home and distributed the single on an old moped
that still sits in the company offices. At the time very few
people in France were interested in the emerging style so
there were few outlets open to them. Alex in the mean time
took a day job at Translab as a mastering sound engineer -
where he still works today.
Later in 1995 Alex had one of his cuts included on the first
'Source Lab' collection. Called 'Mandrake' it was a stand
out moment from the compilation with its languid breaks and
dub atmospheres. This was quickly followed by the "Est-ce
Une Gopher Party?" EP which quickly became a regular
feature on the turntables of the UK's leftfield DJ elite.
The success of this single was nothing compared to what was
to follow. Later that year Etienne de Crecy masterminded and
produced a collection of tracks under the title of "Super
Discount". The idea was to get some of the cities artists
to create tracks inspired by the annual sales in the Paris
supermarkets. Initially released a series of ten-inch singles
limited quantities made it into some of London's leading record
stores. All were sold out within twenty four hours.
Solid subsequently decided to collect the tracks together
on one album. It was a brilliant collection which drew people
into the French hype and consolidated a sound which was largely
represented by Daft Punk and Dimitri from Paris in the mainstream.
Alex himself provided two of the albums high points in "Super
Disco" and "Destockage Massif".
In 1997 Alex Gopher returned once more with "Poumtchak
No 2" – an underground release on Poumtchak, Solid's
subterranean sub-label – which continued the Gopher
party with its jazz housed funky vibes. The following year
saw the release of the mini album "Gordini Mix"
in which a number of Alex's friends were asked to remix a
track which was originally released on 1996's "Source
Lab 2" album.
Given the track title the record was inevitably inspired by
the sound of the classic sports racing car. As ever "Gordini
Mix" found electronica fused with dubtronics and a smoking
digi soul. The remixes came courtesy of Mister Learn, Daphreephunkateers
and Extra Lucid, as well as old friends Bang Bang, Etienne
de Crecy and Air - naturally.
1998 saw two more single releases from Mr. Gopher. "Poumtchak
No8" and "You, My Baby and I". While the former
was a worthy addition to the Gopher catalogue it was with
the latter that the sound of his first full length album can
be heard. Inspired by the birth of his son and wrapped in
one of those famed silver 'heliophore' covers, "You,
My Baby and I" offered a syrupy groove of spring seduction
in two parts.
Which brings us to the album which is everything we could
have wished for and so much more. Also called "You, My
Baby and I" the collection moves between the ultra P
funk of the opening "Time" which features Parliament-Funkadeklic
member Clip Payne - he also crops up on the infectious ”Party
people”, and the closing cut "Quiet Storm".
The lush retro-futurism of "Ralph and Kathy", is
a collaboration with Jean-Benoit from Air. Indeed these two
collaborators offer the simplest definition of the Gopher
sound; somewhere on the road that links P-funk with Air.
Listen to ”Tryin’” and you’re slipping
between the sheets of EZ house, where a luxurious four to
the floor plays counterpoint with orchestral melody and film
theme ambience. The equal to anything from ”Superdiscount”.
With ”The Child” the mood is decidedly calmer
with the blues soaked vocals and dub-funk grooves. Like Billie
Holiday laying down a lullaby over sheets of deep, garage
inflected beats. With ”Consolidated” Gopher brings
out the punk garage attack to create a floor shaker that would
go down a storm at Basement Jaxx in Brixton. The effect is
echoed on ”With U” and Party People” where
the vocals come one the one down and dirty for P-funk-a-thons
that George Clinton would be proud of. Elsewhere ”061098”
offers a relative moment among the subterranean party beats
where slap bass oozes with soul and the beats remain positively
amniotic.
Place "You, My Baby and I" into the CD player and
experience the final essential piece falling into place in
the Paris jigsaw. Alex Gopher was one of the first and with
his debut album there is no disputing the fact that he's up
there with the very best. ”You, My Baby & I”
promises to do for the Paris underground what Basement Jaxx
has done for UK house and Timaland has done for US R’n’B
– shake things from the foundations to their very core.
Is this a Gopher party? Of course it is!
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