Top secret

Description

At first glance and because of the means deployed, likely fruits of a certain confusion between being and appearing, this album by Marc Moulin, an eminent musician known as the white wolf of the best-informed variety recording services, is not that cool. The cover, the tone of the biography, and the glittering promotion encourage inserting this record into the player as late as possible. However, once the disgusting varnish is scratched off, this disc symbolizing, like that of stablemate Saint Germain, the renewal of the Blue Note label, turns out to be quite pleasant.
Without ever approaching the class of an Aqua Bassino when he takes his music to peck at jazz, this Belgian Marc Moulin, former Telex and successful producer for Lio or Chamfort, resolutely plays the new bop card, for the duration of ten almost instrumental tracks meant to get hips moving by borrowing just enough arrangements from current electro. Doing better than showcasing the virtuosity of players whose talent seems undeniable (Bert Joris on trumpet, Johan Vandendriessche on saxophones), "Top Secret" releases all the flavors of a refined musician that the years, clear or obscure, have enhanced.
This album, mastered by the inevitable Alex Gopher, bounces back multiple times, notably during What? enhanced by the vocal presence and so chic of Sparks' Ron Mael, and Bottle with Philip Catherine on guitar.