Six French House Tracks for Clubbing in Paris

If you know Daft Punk’s earlier stuff, you know French House. The Parisian duo became the most recognizable (masked) faces in the genre before expanding into more futuristic work. If you want a primer on the French Touch sound, check out these six tracks.

“Intro” by Alan Braxe & Fred Falk (2000)

This classic record exemplifies perfection through minimalism, produced with just drums, live bass and a soul sample from The Jets. If you’re looking for a modern-day remix, there are a few, mainly because no one can beat the original.

“Sentimental Mood” by St Germain (1995)

St Germain’s seminal album, Boulevard, put French music back on the map during the 1990s. “Sentimental Mood” doesn’t have the usual filtered disco samples that would come to define French House, but Ludovic Navarre’s 10-minute jazz adventure is a must-listen.

“Disco Cubizm (Daft Punk Remix)” by I:Cube (1996)

Daft Punk’s genius lies in the experimentation. If they didn’t want to do sci-fi soundtracks, they could have stuck to the synthpop direction they took on Discovery. If they didn’t like that, it could have been French house, or straight up Chicago house, best heard on the remix of “Disco Cubizm.”

“Deep Burnt” by Pépé Bradock (1999)

Lots of people criticize this genre for incessantly upbeat sound. The disco it samples was meant to be party music, but Pépe Bradock’s “Deep Burnt” shows influences from Detroit techno. It’s the kind of track where you hear something new each time you listen to it.

“Ezio” by Motorbass (1996)

“Ezio” is another weird classic showcasing the early house music scene’s affinity for experimentation. While most producers at the time were engrossed with synthesizers, Motorbass was playing with harps and brass.

“Music Sounds Better With You (Bob Sinclar Remix)” by Stardust (1998)

Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk, Alan Braxe and singer Benjamin Diamond only produced one track together, and that track is a verified super hit, considered one of the greatest dance songs of all time.