St Germain – St Germain

I have to admit that I was a little scared to this listen to this album the first time. I loved Tourist and his Boulevard series so much that I was worried whether it would live up to the exceptionally high expectations he had set on those works. On this self-titled work, he has somehow managed to reinvent himself while staying true to his original mantra - mixing jazz, blues, and soulful vocals and samples with deep, sophisticated, yet still danceable house and breakbeat. To me it seems he has found his winning formula as there is not a single bad track on this album. If anything, I might even go as far as to say this is his most solid album. Tourist will always be my favourite but this one is so well polished and soulful, it's impossible not to get chills listening to it.

"Real Blues" starts off with a multitude of percussion playing off each other with bluesy vocals running over the top. The kick and the bass slowly become more prevalent over the course of the song and if you're not tapping your feet by the end of it you may want to check your pulse. "Sittin' Here" features some exceptional vocals and a darker/bluesier sound than the first, yet still very funky.
Later on, "How Dare You" is a slow burner of a track, and when that beat finally drops in the second half of the song it truly shines as one of his best works to date. Flip disc 2 over and you'll discover the sultry "Mary L.", one of his deepest, laidback tracks in his catalogue. The choked organ stabs with the sleepy breakbeat crawling along and the gorgeous basslines make this one of my favourites of his.

Overall, Ludovic Navarre is on top form and has produced potentially his best album to date. Buy on sight! 9/10.

In the time between St. Germain’s TOURIST and this self-titled follow-up, entire sub-genres of electronic music have come and gone. And from “Real Blues,” it sounds as though he hasn’t changed much: a blues vocal sample, a mellow groove. But there’s a definite change: the instrumentation has a definite African bent to it. And if that weren’t enough to convince you, the lyrics on “Sittin’ Here” will convince you without a doubt. Indeed, the juxtaposition of Delta blues and African music (and, later, house) on “How Dare You” seems to be a reunion of the three genres—the origin meeting its descendants. The overt jazz has faded for more kora action, though hints of the remain on the piano line of “Hanky Panky” and in the quiet intro of “Family Tree.” “Mary L” goes deeper with the bass and the vibe, before the “Forget Me Not” shuffles off into the distance. Styles may change, but St. Germain still remains his own thing.

Same here, I didn't like it that much at first. Maybe there was just a track I didn't like and it scared me off. Well, it's truly amazing. Side D is perfect. Dynamic pressing too.

Just pulled this out after not playing it for years, what a phenomenal album, production and pressing. My dad's CD of Tourist was basically what got me into dance music. Thanks Ludovic :)

I’m in! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect after it’s been so long since his last work but I personally love it and am very pleased to hear this newer material. I’d say he is a musical genius as - the way it’s put together is Utterly outstanding.

This is a truly amazing album and I would say this is his best as whole. Stunning pressing as well.

What a very beautiful and stunning album! Maybe his best I agree.

Seriously... if you dont have this, you are missing a great record... his best in my opinion

What an album! Ludovic has definitely outperformed himself in this vibrant mixture of deep house, instrumentalism, poetry, and African rhythms. I just wish there was more of it!

I bough this album iimmediately after listening to it on youtube last month. ART!!!!