- Audio CD (30 Sep 2002)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Virgin
- ASIN: B00006AKPY
- Other Editions: Audio Cassette | Vinyl | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 104,552 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| 1. Hi Water |
| 2. The Sound Of Violence |
| 3. Under Influence |
| 4. Room Tone |
| 5. Thrilla |
| 6. Telephone Love |
| 7. I'm A Woman |
| 8. Protection |
| 9. Till We Got You And Me |
| 10. 20 Years (How Do You See Me Now) |
| 11. Nothing |
| 12. Barocco |
| 13. On |
| 14. Au Reve |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
If you thought French house music was a mere flash in the pan, prepare to think again. Avoiding the pitfalls of sticking to one genre, Au Reve practically overflows with innovation and should be seen as a real milestone in dance culture. After spearheading the trend for retro 80s styling, wily duo Cassius have now moved forward, championing real vocals over samples, employing beefier rhythms and forging a real sense of identity. From the wriggly, anthemic funk of "The Sound of Violence" to the vocoder-purred synth-fest "Telephone Love" there's cross-pollination at work here, executed in the most fascinating fashion. "Thrilla" cleverly dovetails the old-school breaks of Todd Terry with hip-house rapping, "Under Influence" updates "Miss You"-era Rolling Stones and the mighty Jocelyn Brown lends her immense lungs to the galloping "I'm a Woman". They even have the audacity to splice in the odd rock guitar, should the mood take them. Just like the group's namesake this floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. --Paul Tierney
Review
Cassius have been busy since the release of their superb debut album 1999. At the time, it was thrust alongside Daft Punk's Homework and Air's Moon Safari and fanned the flames of a burgeoning French house scene.
We were in a dream when we made this suggest Cassius - shame then that they suffer the occasional nightmare. When you're competing with the likes of FC Kahuna and Medicine 8, you've really got to be special and, alas, this album simply falls short. The burbling electronics are predominantly uninventive, save the digital lullaby "Hi Water" and the charming audio watercolours of "How Do You See Me Now".
By including fillers like "Thrilla" featuring Ghost Face Killah from Wu-Tang Clan (which sounds like a parody Austrian hip-house outfit) and the vocal noodles of "Protection", Au Reve, lets itself down in the misguided attempt at fusing house with rock and hip-hop. A prime example is the Jocelyn Brown fronted, disco-house "I'm a Woman" which kicks in with a Van Halen style soft rock guitar riff that should have handbag-housers rockin' all over The Ritzy.
However, there is some excellent work here including the glacial, slow-burn house of"Au Reve" (which means in a dream by the way) and the wonky weirdness of the Kraftwerk-esque "Telephone Love" - but these only add slight allure to Cassius vocal house blueprint.
The house flavours are varied though: from the meat-grinder bassline of new single "The Sound of Violence" to the disco-soul lament of "Under Influence", its obvious Cassius made this LP with ears as well as feet in mind.
Excellent in places, awkward and peculiar in others, Cassius' dream is an unusual mix of emotions, tempo and colour drawing on a mix of influences which take in rock, pop and electro.
There's nothing really new here, but then that isn't really the criteria for whether an album is good or not - its just a pity Cassius couldn't recapture the spontaneity of 1999. If giddy vocal house combined with dated synth action circa 1995 is your thing, it might just be worth checking out. --David Silverman
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Okay, the jury's still deliberating this one. This is either a work of French genius or complete Gallic madness.
So far, I've got this album down to about four real 'killer' tracks with the remainder falling around my feet in a confused/confusing heap. Don't get me wrong, I loved the last Cassius album, but this pushes things way further. And while this may seem commendable, over-long Pink Floyd guitar solos and the cheesiest soul-house vocals take a bit of figuring out.
New single 'The Sound of Violence' is a real gem - pumping disco house with a dynamite vocal hook.
You'll be getting a splash of Kraftwerk on the track 'Telephone Love' and even a bit of Prince (as well as those Dave Gilmour solos) on 'Nothing'.
But what the hell is the Ghostface Killa / Cassius team-up that is 'Thrilla' doing on here? The weediest hip-house I've had to suffer in many a year. Thematically, this track features a sly nod in Daft Punk's direction with its Neo-Classical riff at the intro, but then we're into a skippy, lightweight excursion back to 1989. Coupled with Ghostface's super-serious vocal delivery, this is just embarrasing - a definite lunge for the CD 'skip' button.
Penultimate track 'On' is pure Cassius combining the best elements from their previous album and twisting them just a little bit more into a manic fusion of chopped-up vocal samples and unpredictable beats.
The album's title track (coming at the close of this mixed bag) mixes down-tempo crunchy beats with Superfly wah-wah guitar, but even this suffers from the album's biggest failing - an over-dependency on 'live' instrumentation over sample trickery. Again, this is perhaps to be commended, but I think Cassius have gotten a little over-excited by their mate who can really wring those heart-rending notes from a guitar, and by the soul vocals more suited to the mid-90s Acid-Jazz-take-on-house...
So, not for everyone, but well worth a look if you fancy something that seeks to tear up the rule book. That's good isn't it?
So far, I've got this album down to about four real 'killer' tracks with the remainder falling around my feet in a confused/confusing heap. Don't get me wrong, I loved the last Cassius album, but this pushes things way further. And while this may seem commendable, over-long Pink Floyd guitar solos and the cheesiest soul-house vocals take a bit of figuring out.
New single 'The Sound of Violence' is a real gem - pumping disco house with a dynamite vocal hook.
You'll be getting a splash of Kraftwerk on the track 'Telephone Love' and even a bit of Prince (as well as those Dave Gilmour solos) on 'Nothing'.
But what the hell is the Ghostface Killa / Cassius team-up that is 'Thrilla' doing on here? The weediest hip-house I've had to suffer in many a year. Thematically, this track features a sly nod in Daft Punk's direction with its Neo-Classical riff at the intro, but then we're into a skippy, lightweight excursion back to 1989. Coupled with Ghostface's super-serious vocal delivery, this is just embarrasing - a definite lunge for the CD 'skip' button.
Penultimate track 'On' is pure Cassius combining the best elements from their previous album and twisting them just a little bit more into a manic fusion of chopped-up vocal samples and unpredictable beats.
The album's title track (coming at the close of this mixed bag) mixes down-tempo crunchy beats with Superfly wah-wah guitar, but even this suffers from the album's biggest failing - an over-dependency on 'live' instrumentation over sample trickery. Again, this is perhaps to be commended, but I think Cassius have gotten a little over-excited by their mate who can really wring those heart-rending notes from a guitar, and by the soul vocals more suited to the mid-90s Acid-Jazz-take-on-house...
So, not for everyone, but well worth a look if you fancy something that seeks to tear up the rule book. That's good isn't it?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Amazing, funky, sexy, rocky French house showing an enormous range of styles and a truly imaginative approach to dance music. Not to be missed.
Format:Audio CD
Cassius - Au Reve
On the whole 'Au Reve' is a killer album; every track is unique and sure to get even the most reserved party-goers on their feet.
The album kicks off with 'Hi Water' - a track that fuses drum beats with Cassius's electronica sound - and sets the scene for the rest of the album and finishes with the very funky title track 'Au Reve'. 'Au Reve' is a pure party album and standout tracks include the fantastic singles 'I'm A Woman', featuring a powerful vocal from Jocelyn Brown, and 'The Sound of Violence' which is currently massive in clubland. An interesting mix of instrumental tracks and collaborations keep the album fresh and exciting. The biggest surprise on the album is the collaboration with rapper Ghostface Killah on 'Thrilla' which will hopefully be the next single and shows that rap and dance music can work well together.
With 14 fresh tracks the guys from Cassius are proving that they are ahead of the game when it comes to dance music and continue to up the stakes for any imitators. 'Au Reve' is set to become this year's part album so if you haven't hear dit yet be sure to grab yourself a copy. Mine is already nearly worn out!!
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