It's the French equivalent of the '92 Dream Team, brought together for this limited edition sampler featuring music from Mr. Oizo's upcoming feature film debut, Steak. I know nothing about the film, and there's not much text (in English or French) to help out, but judging by the artwork it could very well be an Ed Banger-style update of West Side Story. The music doesn't clear things up much either: "Skatesteak(1)" is totally addictive, sounding like a lost 70s relic with little choppy stop/start bits for good measure - in other words, it sounds like Sebastien Tellier with some Ed Banger dudes. (That's a good thing.) "C.H.I.V.E.R.S.(2)" gets heavier, dropping Tellier's wistful sound in favor of some crunchy distortion. On the flip, the quick, Krautish interlude "Letrablaise(3)" leads into the single's only straight-up pop track, "Hashis Vers(4)," featuring the trio(?) on vocals and, yes, some electric banjo and sax. If you're tired of the full-on electro assault from Ed Banger, this is a nice change of pace.

reviewed by Chris Lemon-Red