Cassius Album: “1999 [Australia]”

Disco Filter seems to have made a big splash at nightclubs and the dance floors in the past while with such hits like "One More Time", "Music Sounds Better With You", "Astounded" and "Lady". 1999 was one of the albums that started the Disco dance craze all over again. Coming all the way from Paris France emerges a Fresh and original dance music duo known as Cassius. They belong to the "French Touch" style of dance music that all began with St.Germain, and was made popular by the likes of other French electronic artists such as Daft Punk, Dimitri Of Paris, and Air. Cassius happens to be one of the new additions to to this musical family. Cassius owes a lot of their sound to their good friends Daft Punk. The music of Cassius is quite comparable to that of Daft Punk's earlier album "Homework". The music is very beat driven and heavly bass-laden. The one main difference that makes Cassius different is that it relies a lot on disco samplings which gives the music a retro flavour. Disco filter tracks like "Feeling For You" and "Planetz" seem to stretch towards the past and future of dance music. However, Cassius also makes sure to have fun with what they do, which is evident in songs like the whimsical "La Mouche". Full-length dance CD's are always hard to make in that the music tends to lose it's energy when outside of a club or party setting, but this is not totally true with the 1999 album from Cassius. A must have for any serious European cluber-the world over!

When it comes to electronica music, France really has breathed new air into one of my favorite genres of music. I love Air, Dimitri From Paris, Rinocerose (well their first album anyways), and Daft Punk (of course). Unfortunately I could not get into Cassius. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get into Cassius's "1999". The songs lacked the funkiness of Daft Punk or the intricate melodies of Air. The group's choice of samples were interesting to say the very least. I don't see very often an artist who would sample from '70s blaxploitation flick "Foxy Brown" like Cassius did on "Foxxy". Unfortunately what didn't really groove with me was the fact that the beats in most of the songs sounded too repetitive. I liked "Feeling For You", "La Mouche", "Foxxy" and "Cassius Remix '99" but otherwise this album didn't leave much of an impression on me, neither bad nor good. And when an album doesn't leave much an impression on me you know that isn't a good sign.

When I first heard Cassius in the back end of 1998, I knew that they had something in that particular sound that other House artists were lacking at the time (I'm not professing to be a house aficionado, but I think that any tune that gets a WHOLE club dancing must be a teensy weensy bit special!!!).

The effect that "Cassius 99" had on the house club scene, was that of Winks "Higher State.." on the Techno/Hard house back in 93. And it's not often that you get a tune that outstanding!

So maybe it would come as a suprise that the parents of such a crowd pleaser can actually fill a whole album with ones of the same quality - if not better. Well if that's the case 1999 is one hell of a big suprise.

Whereas "Cassius 99" was commercially massive after a stint in the clubs, "Feeling for You" stayed around the clubs gaining anthem respect (and a a few reissues for Gwen McCrae!), and "La Mouche" had more remixes than well, anything really. I could go on to mention all the others but to be honest it'd take too long to sing the praises that loudly.

What I can tell you is that this funky, disco, big beat, hip hop, electroglide of an album never fails to satisfy in the House department. Where other albums have hindered their accessability by trying to stay true to one genre, Cassius have increased theirs by amalgamating various different ones.

And the result is this - A great dance album to be enjoyed by all.

So that'll be two suprises in one then!

Seattle ravers know it best. This is a heart pumper that gets you going and keeps you going till the end. This is NOT repetative like Fat Boy Slim rythms but like Slim has different styles from song to song. This will keep you gonig to the unimaginable hours of the morning dancing to the bass and the great styles they throw at you. Ask yourself this, Into hip-hop funk disco dance music? Then you'll EAT IT UP!!!

Cassius '99 having torn like armaggedon through the E-dropping community in Europe makes its mark on US club goers. This is the stuff dreams are made of folks. I personally have danced to this album till Nine o'clock in the morning, ad that was by myself. Is this album really that great or am I just a loser either way I think that you will enjoy the fluidity and hipnotic overtones that this album induces. If your into creamed corn and sit-coms on a friday night DO NOT,I REPEAT, DO NOT BUY THIS ALBUM. But if your into dancing from the pit of your soul until your body cant keep up with your mind's addiction to the throbbing pulses of really, really phat beats, hitchike to the record store if you have to.