Real Tone France Vinyl & CDs

Review: If you know house music you know Franck Roger. The towing French figure has been part of the underground for many years and has a timeless sound that by now is expertly refined. His own Real Tone is where're he saves up some label classics now starting with a delightful deep and breezy Talk remix of 'Remember' (feat Jovonn). There is a hint of humidity and sweat to basement swinger 'Wanna Be With You' then 'Don't Ever Luv Me' lifts your head with its classic vocal samples subtly woven into a light and airy house skipper. 'Keep Yo Self' brings more classic vocal house hints to a disco-coloured house groove.

Review: The Real Tone Classics series does exactly what it says on the tin, reissuing older label classics from the storied Real Tone Records house music catalogue, based in Paris. A precocious (the label has only been going since 2011) but still refreshing exercise, this second edition focuses on the older, apposed works of label favourites Franck Roger, Don Swing and Mr. V. Brachiating from as recently as 2023 to as far back as 2009, the ability to group together tracks from different eras here speaks to the modularity of house music when done right: Roger's 'Things We Had', for example, is a kwaito-informed ode to freedom, while the fanned, equitant track 'Come Back To Me' jostles jazz-dancier; the stylistic difference between them speaks nothing of their side-by-side fit, which is as seamless as they come.