St Germain – Boulevard (The Complete Series)

“Boulevard,” the debut album by French DJ and producer St Germain, isn’t a mere stroll down a Parisian avenue; it’s a sonic immersion into a world where smoky jazz clubs meet sun-drenched cafes, where house beats pulse alongside the cool caress of saxophone melodies. Released in 1995, it captured the spirit of a nascent genre known as nu-jazz, effortlessly blending the sophisticated swagger of jazz with the hypnotic grooves of electronic music.

From the opening notes of “Deep In It,” the album sets the mood. A languid piano riff intertwines with a shimmering vibraphone, and then, almost imperceptibly, a steady house beat kicks in, propelling the track forward with a subtle urgency. This seamless fusion of styles becomes the album’s signature, evident in tracks like “Thank U Mum (4 Everything You Did),” where a soulful vocal sample floats above a bed of smooth bass and rolling drums, and “Street Scene (4 Shazz),” a sprawling, cinematic soundscape that builds and evolves over its near 16-minute runtime.

St Germain’s mastery lies in his ability to evoke mood and atmosphere. “Easy To Remember” is a laid-back summer breeze, its warm Rhodes keys and cascading harmonies conjuring images of lazy afternoons. “Sentimental Mood,” in contrast, is introspective and melancholic, a solo trumpet weaving a melody of longing against a backdrop of hushed electronics.

Yet, “Boulevard” isn’t all about introspection. Tracks like “What’s New” and “Forget It” pulsate with energy, their driving rhythms and infectious hooks begging the listener to move. These moments showcase St Germain’s understanding of dance music, injecting an element of playfulness and joy into the album’s overall soundscape.