Kitsune Maison Turns 15

It's truly hard to believe that Kitsune has released fifteen versions of the Kitsune Maison compilation! That's an amazing amount of music spread out across a ridiculously prolific discography and a brief history of dance music in the 21st century. If you've read this blog at all over the years you know my feelings about this label and the compilations that they release. If you don't here's a brief summary...they're just about perfect.

Volume 15 is yet another bumper crop of massive tunes but this marks the first time that some of the tunes are just ok. Hard to believe I know, but there's a slight chink is Kitsune's armor here and as the album draws towards it's close this usually flawless compilation starts to lose steam. Denitia and Sene's, "Casanova," for example, feels like a chillwave by numbers single lost in a Target ad. Still, fifteen compilations in and this is an essential source for amazing tunes. If you're too lazy for Hype Machine or hate reading Pitchfork Kitsune Maison is your go to guide to all the latest and greatest indie/electro crossover tunes. It's everything you need to know on one disc that might occasionally hit a snag of mediocrity but is still consistently brilliant and regularly released.

From the chilled, "Voices," of Go Wolf to the absolute floor devouring, "Moonshine," from Jake Bullitt most of volume 15 is solid gold. Even the worst tunes here are better than 99% of everything else out there. No one else on the planet blends indie, electro, and house like these guys and they never ceases to leave me in awe. I can't say enough about how Kitsune finds talent, releases amazing records, and leaves you wanting more. Having spent tons of quality time with this compilation I can't wait for volume 16.

Kitsune Puts Summer In High Gear With Soleil Mix 2

Around this time last year, Kitsune released the nearly perfect Kitsune Soleil Mix to kick off summer. As per usual for the French label the record was monstrous and packed to the gills with brilliant electro, indie, and proper house tunes. As summer 2013 carries on in a blaze of sunshine and humidity, it's a welcome surprise that Kitsune has followed up Kitsune Soleil Mix with yet another slice of sunshiny perfection on Kitsune Soleil Mix 2.

Mixed by Gildas Kitsune and Jerry Bouthier, Kitsune Soleil Mix 2 is an absolutely massive mix that has sun and fun written all over it. The tag team of Kitsune and Bouthier are masterful here seamlessly blending and building tracks into a sexy electro house furor. This is proper dance music that's about as far removed from fratstep and the stuff that nu-metal kids call EDM as you can get. This is REAL dance music. Totally Ibiza ready, you can almost picture the blinding sunsets and massive DJ sets as each song ebbs and flows. Kitsune Soleil Mix 2 is packed with 20 brilliant tunes that absolutely conquer the season.

In the world of dance music few are as on top of their game as Kitsune is. Kitsune Soleil Mix 2 is proof of that. Whether it's their mix CD's, their singles, or even their clothesline, Kitsune is a world apart from everyone else. Kitsune Soleil Mix 2 is so well put together it gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. Kitsune Soleil Mix 2 is pure musical escapism at it's best and easily one of the best compilations you'll hear all year.

Kitsune Returns to America

At this point, I'm not really sure why I even bother writing about Kitsune records. I mean seriously, they can do no wrong. Everything they put out is simply fantastic. Their latest compilation, Kitsune America 2 picks up where the first volume left off and continues to search under rocks, in clubs, and in bedrooms across the nation looking for the hottest electronic talent in the United States.

They find it here, there, and everywhere in between. In fact I'm sure they've found so much of it they could probably issue twenty volumes of this series and still not be done. Anyway, Kitsune America 2 is a brilliant mash up of styles and genres; chillwave, electro, and even indie are all well represented on this compilation. From Tidus' downtempo acid trip of, "Say It," to the Italo Disco flavored influences of, Alison Valentine's, "Circles and Triangles," and even the indie stomp of Papa's "Put Me To Work," Kitsune America 2 is another dose of perfection. I don't know how they manage to be so consistent, but they are and this record is proof of it. It's kind of ridiculous at this point that they so easily issue records of such great magnitude and grooves and have yet to let me down.

From electro to downtempo, indie rock to house Kitsune leaves no stones unturned when searching for talent or tunes. Kitsune America 2 is evidence of that and should reaffirm anyone's belief in America's ability to produce brilliantly blinding dance music that isn't from Skrillex. There is life outside of EDM and Dubstep and Kitsune America 2 is a tribute to the scene that hasn't forgotten there's a lot more to dance music that brutality. Kitsune America 2 is a masterful compilation and I can't wait to hear Kitsune America 3!

Kitsune Parisien III Is Perfect

When you think of things that are consistent, one thinks of the Jaguars and their losing record, the weather in Florida and if you're a fan of electronic music Kitsune Records. This is a record label that, so far as I know, is like 98% consistently great. They just don't do bad, it doesn't exist in their vocabulary. They don't cop out and they don't waste their time on trends or scenes, they stick to what they know and they are what they are and they are great at it.

If you follow the label at all you know then that the Kitsune Maison compilations are universally accepted as a global taste maker for the dance floor. These compilations provide your feet with the tunes they will dance non-stop to until the next Maison compilation comes out. While the Maison compilations focus on Kitsune's worldwide search for cool they've only recently begun to spread their wings and look for the same thing in specific locations. From Kitsune America bringing American electro to the forefront to the Kitsune Parisien's third compilation of talent from their home base in Paris the brand is branching out in all the best ways.

It only makes sense that Kitsune release a series of compilations based on the Parisien scene. Kitsune Parisien III is a thirteen track exploration of the Paris underground via the darkened dance floors of the City of Lights. It's epic and so far removed from the dubstep and "electro-house," that's swept the planet that it's a gulp of fresh air. Say what you will, but Kitsune rarely bows to trends and this compilation is no different. This record hovers between proper electro/synthpop and house music in the fine French tradition. The result is a sensual seductive slink across the dance floor with many of the songs being instant classics. From Pyramid's, "Noise," to the sensual washes of Cinema's, "UV," the record is like a slow motion disco tuned to seduction. While the golden age of French house may be nearly a decade behind us, Kitsune Parisien III reminds us that Paris is still burning!

Perfect in just about every way, Kitsune Parisien III is no different from just about everything else Kitsune does; it's great. It's consistently cutting edge, catchy, and always ahead of the curve. It's a brilliant reminder that Paris loves to dance and that electro still has a strong pulse despite what Skrillex and nu-metal has done to dance music. So raise a glass of champers and celebrate Kitsune Parisien III ! Viva Le France!

Gildas & Jerry Kitsune Soleil Is Perfect

One of the nine million reasons why living in Florida is great is that we very rarely have long winters, if winters at all. It's pretty much some degree of summer here every day of the year which makes listening to the latest Kitsune compilation a year round kind of possibility. Entitled, Gildas & Jerry Kitsune Soleil Mix, this is the soundtrack to the summer wherever or whenever you find yourself. It's Ibiza wrapped up into a 5.25 inch disc and it's amazing as an island sunset.

Gildas & Jerry Kitsune Soleil Mix is packed to the gills with twenty blinding electro, house, and synth pop tunes that are blended to sunshiny perfection by Gildas & Jerry. This is a massive journey in 4/4 synthesized sunshine that's so ridiculously groovy there isn't a dance floor on the planet that wouldn't be packed out if this mix were to be played. Filled with huge names from the Kitsune roster including M83, Citizens!, Jupiter, Gigamesh, Metronomy, RAC as well as smaller artists such as Like Woah!, Reflex and Moon Boots it's got a little bit of everything under the sun. Amazingly, there's not a duff track amongst them all. It's twenty tracks of pure non-stop bangers that have hooks the size of Jupiter, beats as crisp as a new $100, and a vibe that is nothing but celebratory and excitable.

Gildas & Jerry Kitsune Soleil Mix is yet the latest installment in Kitsune's incredible track record of awesome releases. While the rest of the world has made dance music so aggressive it's become metal, Kitsune have never forgotten that it doesn't need to be like that. They're the home of the hook, the masters of massive tunes and home to incredible artists. Gildas & Jerry Kitsune Soleil Mix proves that twenty times over.

Kitsune Taps Into America

As you undoubtedly know, Kitsune is a French label who have made quite a name for themselves over the last five or six years for releasing mind numbingly good electro from around Europe and occasionally the States. And while they've released all these tunes from all over, they've never concentrated on one area directly until now. Sensing that the Americans are finally falling in love with electronic music, Kitsune has set a trail forward by releasing their first Kitsune America compilation dedicated to all the stuff coming out on this side of the Atlantic.

It's pretty much common knowledge while most of what we take for granted dance music wise was originally invented here in the States, we shipped it overseas where it went nuts and forgot about it. Now, thirty years after that groundwork was laid by the likes of Derrick May, the youth of America have latched on to the dance floor and don't seem to want to let it go. This compilation firmly proves that. Kitsune America is a fourteen track exploration of North Americans who know how to boogie and write some darn fine songs while they're at it. This is a ridiculously amazing record and quite honestly there isn't one duff track on this album. From St. Lucia, DWNTWN, Childish Gambino, Heartsrevolution, Poindexter, Giraffage and loads of others this is pure dance floor gold spun with magic, glitter, and amazing beats. Whether it's chill wave, house, electro, it's all here and it's ready to go.

The fine folks at Kitsune have pieced Kitsune America together with love, dedication, and quality control. There's a reason why the label is nearly legendary and it's because they love this stuff and refuse to settle for anything second best. This record is perfect. It's your Saturday night planned out for you without you knowing it. The tunes are packed with infectious melodies and mesmerizing beats and it's a hot, sweaty, summer night spent on the dance floor and right now that's like the best thing ever. Seriously. Cheers to Kitsune for bringing their quality to the States now it's up to America to reciprocate by buying tons of records!

Kitsune Heads Back To Paris

The latest compilation from Kitsune, Parisien II, is nothing short of perfect. That's nothing new for this French label who over the last five or so years have defined what quality electro, indie dance, and the like represents. This latest compilation highlights the latest from emerging talent from the vibrant Parisian scene and beyond. Packed with fourteen tracks, the compilation covers all it's bases in fine fashion.

The compilation is so forward thinking and so up front that unless you live in Paris you've probably not heard of anything or anybody on this record. Parisien II features house, electro, chill-wave, indie dance and just about everything in between. From the seductive opening track from Tomorrow's World to the angular synth punk funk of Juveniles, it's all here and all geared at getting you to dance...a lot. That should be expected because, after all, that's what Kitsune has been doing from the get go.

While compilations such as Parisien II are generally hit and miss I'm proud to report that nothing on this record misses. This is a pretty much perfect record from the get go and serves as an educational tool as to what's moving people in the Parisian indie/dance scenes. Kitsune knows to to find talent and their list of success stories is longer than the track listing on this album. Parisien II is almost like a laundry list of what makes a brilliant electro record in whatever style you want. Sexy, slinky, and packed with tasty danceable treats there's really nothing bad about this record. This is yet another essential release from an essential label at the center of the electro scene. Say what you will about the French but they love to dance and they know how to get the world dancing along with them and this compilation proves it.

Scion and Kitsune Are Pioneers

Another month rolls by and another essential compilation is released by Scion. I don't know if they're selling cars in this economy, but they're doing one heck of a job at cranking out records that are more important than life itself. Their 23rd volume of the series features the uber brilliant French label Kitsune and eleven artists from their roster.

Is it any good? You betcha. Kitsune Pioneer is another chapter in the amazing legacy that is both the Scion Series and Kitsune. Kitsune Pioneer is a masterful compilation that runs the gamut of today's electro/house/whatever scene. The eleven tracks here are the equivalent to an hour long sweaty dance floor work out that features pretty much every amazing dance tune that should be filling floors across this land. From laid back groovers from artists such as Ted and Francis to massive monsters from the likes of Heartsrevolution, Guns and Bombs, and Fischerspooner there honestly isn't a duff track in the bunch.

To think this compilation is free is just ridiculous! Kitsune Pioneer is just one electronic battle weapon after another and if you DJ then this unmixed CD is like a treasure trove of uber-cool tracks that need to be played...repeatedly. Having listened to this on repeat for the last three days, It's hard to pick out which track is the best. The 80's guitar soundtrack pop of Heartsrevolution's, "Ultraviolence (Dubka Remix)", the adrenaline rush of Shinichi Osawa's rework of Cazals, "Poor Innocent Boys," or the mindwarping pulses of the Para One remix of Guns and Bombs, "Riddle of Steel," all stand out as brilliant tunes, but the other eight tracks that make up Kitsune Pioneer are just as good, if not better.

My advice to anyone reading this is who likes electronic music is find a way to get this compilation. Whether it's visiting Scion or Toyota or whatever, if you like to move to a beat then you need this compilation in your life. Seriously. Kitsune Pioneer is beyond highly recommended.