POPSCENE
FRENCH TOUCH
DEVISED IN THE 90s, OUR GALLIC FRIENDS MIXED HOUSE, DISCO AND VOCAL CHOPS FOR A TIMELESS, DANCEFLOOR-READY VIBE...
STEVE O'BRIEN
What is it?
French Touch, French House, Filter House, call it what you will, was a genre that brought a distinct Gallic tang to the charts in the mid-90s and early 2000s. Characterised by filter and phaser effects, this Ibiza-friendly sound came across as house’s more sophisticated cousin, blending chopped-up vocal samples with the funky grooves of 70s disco and the relentless four-on-the-floor thump of Chicago house.
Like so many musical terms, the genre’s name was critic-birthed, this time by Martin James in his
Melody Maker
write-up of Étienne de Crécy’s 1996 album
Super Discount
. Daft Punk would become the sound’s poster boys, of course, but the scene was broader, with labels like Roulé and Crydamoure showcasing acts that raided old records for hooks, creating a sound that was both nostalgic and futuristic.