Demon
Midnight Funk
20000ST

With the consecration of musicians like Zebda or M, the French TV show The Victories Of The Music, the equivalent of the American Grammy Awards, have recently showed that we must trust the young talent of the French musical movement. Demon is one of these musicians (a 22-year old man!) and has just released his first album named Midnight Funk. But this is not his first release because he has composed and produced for eight years. He began to explore the hip-hop world and recorded an album a few years ago, with a sale of about one thousand copies. But there was no promotion at the time, certainly by a lack of experience...

From this "do-it-yourself rap", Demon has since then been interested by the funk house, with a revelation for him with the band Daft Punk three years ago. This was realised with the released of the maxi A/Typique in 1997, on his own label 20000ST. We could find on it his first house tracks. But is it the exact term? In fact, Demon would rather talk about the electronic music. Gradually, the majors begin to be interested in him, after the release of two other maxis, and the artist begins to be known towards the dance floors. He has finally opted for the major Sony, and has then recorded the 15 tracks of Midnight Funk, composed a few months back.

This album is a mixture of funk, disco and house. It is not a compilation even if it contains all the singles previously released. Although I am not a fan of this kind of music, I must admit that Demon marvellously symbolises the electronic coil issued from the success of musicians like Daft Punk or Laurent Garnier, for examples. And it is always enriching to be eclectic. When we listen the thundering groove of Lil' Fuck, the resonant bass of My City or the electro-funk of songs like Black And Forth and Now I Have You, we easily observe that the Demon's music is magnificently mastered by his creator. And the album ends on a high note with the 13 minutes of Heartbreaker, with samples of Sade or The Crusaders.

Like a proof of his growing success, Demon is more and more called to remix songs. For example the excellent Jim from Jean-Louis Murat (from the album Mustango), renamed then La Fin De Jim: he is more than a remixer because he has changed the order of the text of this song and then removed some words in order to preserve the understanding.

So, if you are fan of electronic music, do not miss Demon. As for the others (like me), please forget rock music and just listen this album, which could not be more nuanced, and being terribly groovy.

Copyright © 2000 Patrick Dubail