VOILAAA レコード& CD

Review: Sounds like it came out of Lagos in 1971, actually written and recorded in Lyon in 2015: Voilaaa is the brainchild of Bruno Hovart whose long relationship with Favorite goes way back to his days as Patchworks, Mr President and The Dynamics. Recording on a whole host of vintage machines and calling upon local African singers both cuts have a real authentic sense of realness; "Spies Are Watching Me" drives with big horns and swooning strings which isn't dissimilar to the work of The Movers, while the TY Boys-esque "Le Disco Des Capitales" is a heavier, more concentrated slab of floor-minded disco where the groove takes more of a forefront role. Apparently there's a whole album of this cooking... We can't wait to hear it.

Review: It's a while since we last heard from Bruno 'Patchworks' Hovart's Afro-disco focused Violaaa project, so this surprise set of remixes of back catalogue tracks is more than welcome. Fittingly, three of the versions come from Hovart himself under different aliases. There's a fine, tropical-tinged, sun-splashed Violaaa revision of 'Tu Mens Divant Moi' that doffs a cap to zouk music, and two deep house-tinged Patchworks versions of classic cuts. The mix of the outfit's underground hit 'Spies Are Watching Me' is a brilliant alternative take on a familiar favourite (it certainly breathes new life into the track), while the samba-house-in-Ghana revision of 'Ben Bene La' is brilliant. Throw in a quality J Kriv deep nu-disco version of 'Ku La Foon' and you have an excellent EP of tasteful, club-ready cuts.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Split/tear on spine of outer sleeve with minor surface marks on record, but otherwise in perfect working order***


Favorite Recordings presents Voiciii, the third album by Voilaaa - the nom de plume of Bruno 'Patchworks' Hovart. It features guest vocalists such as Pat Kalla and Lass who he has worked with previously, but also new ones such as David Walters, Rama Traore and Ayuune Suule. There's also the addition of saxophonist Boris Pokora. The LP is a tribute to major artists of influential African sounds, such as Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango: from the empowering groove of 'Women Can Do', the late night boogie-down antics with a message on 'Water Get No Enemy' to the spiritual life music of LYMYE-A' - a delightful album from start to finish.

Review: Last year, Patchworks man Bruno Havart indulged his long-held love of Afro-disco via a fine album under the Violaa alias. Here, Africaine 808 and Dimitri From Paris take it in turn to remix tracks from that set. The latter serves up two epic interpretations of album title track "On Te L'avait Dit". There's a full Disco Blend, in which he carefully teases out the track by layering up the original production before unleashing the catchy vocal, and a pleasingly percussive, groove-driven Dub. Interestingly, Africaine 808's mix of previous single "Spies Are Watching Me" sticks fairly close to the original, craftily emphasizing Havart's percussion, punchy horns and rich, Afro-disco bass.

Review: ***B-STOCK: Slight dents in outer sleeve, otherwise in excellent condition***

Slight dents in corners of outer sleeve, otherwise in excellent condition


Last year, Patchworks man Bruno Havart indulged his long-held love of Afro-disco via a fine album under the Violaa alias. Here, Africaine 808 and Dimitri From Paris take it in turn to remix tracks from that set. The latter serves up two epic interpretations of album title track "On Te L'avait Dit". There's a full Disco Blend, in which he carefully teases out the track by layering up the original production before unleashing the catchy vocal, and a pleasingly percussive, groove-driven Dub. Interestingly, Africaine 808's mix of previous single "Spies Are Watching Me" sticks fairly close to the original, craftily emphasizing Havart's percussion, punchy horns and rich, Afro-disco bass.