Disco pioneer
Cerrone
is no stranger to revisiting the highlights of his vast catalog, which stretches back more than half a century.
Disco Symphony
isn't even the first time he's focused on symphonic revisions of his work. It is, however, one of the more successful efforts of its kind. The tracks all flow into and out of each other like a continuous DJ mix, but the arrangements are true to the vintage '70s disco sound, and the recording quality is top-notch.
's attempts to sound current don't always succeed, often tapping into the more annoying tendencies of Euro-disco and dance-pop, but this set strikes enough of a balance between classic and modern that it's worthwhile rather than redundant. The complex horn arrangements of "Je Suis Music," the cosmic strangeness of "Rocket in the Pocket," and the cinematic bombast of "Supernature" all sound as fantastic as ever. The exotica-tinged "Africanism" segues into a cover of "Gimme Some Lovin'" with a killer bassline. The set ends with the sublime "A Part of You," essentially
's rework of
Disclosure
's "You & Me," making a fitting addition to his canon. ~ Paul Simpson