2008 seems to be quite a year for disco comebacks after new albums from Donna Summer and Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King comes a ‘new’ set from France’s greatest exponent of the syn-drum, bushy moustache and flare groove. Cerrone describes ‘Love Ritual’ as his ‘most intimate album ever’ – 14 tracks comprising original material, reproduced classics and previously released remixes by some big name DJs (Knuckles, Morales, Negro, and Jamie Lewis). There’s also a few old skool names helping out too Ð like James ‘D-Train’ Williams offering his gruff lead to the opener ‘Lie To Me’ with Barbara Tucker’s soulful juxtapose pleas. But it’s the oldies that still sound just as good as they first did several decades ago Ð the seductive samba rhythms of ‘Music Of Life’, a young Jocelyn Brown on ‘Hooked On You’ and the racing highs of ‘Love In C Minor’. The soul-drenched ‘Love Ritual’, that previously came out on Louie Vega’s label is featured, as is the David Morales mixed ‘Mercy’ from ’94. So not really new, but what’s a technicality amongst friends.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Lewis Dene