I am collecting information for a Deep Forest discography and FAQ, and
would appreciate some help with it.
I am looking for the following information:
1. Please pull out all your Deep Forest albums and singles. If your
track listing doesn't match the ones below in any of the following
ways, please let me know:
- if the serial number doesn't match
- if the track timings don't match
- if the format is different (if you have a 12" or 7" or cassette)
- if you have another single that is not listed
- if you have another remix that is not listed
Even if the difference seems minor, like only one track is different,
or a timing is different, please let me know. I know there are a lot
more European and Australian versions and remixes out there that are
different.
2. I'm also looking for any background info on the musicians behind it,
including the guys that did the remixes.
4. Any other information related to Deep Forest and their music.
NOTE: This will only work if everyone continues to chip in! It's a
collective group effort across cyberspace, and a lot of people have helped
so far. I know there has been a lot of interest in this group on the
Internet due to all of the posts in various newsgroups. And a lot of
people have been looking for this info. You can be the first one to send
in the new info and have it included here!
Thanks (so far) to:
Pete Ashdown
Christian Barthold
<\/>ike Brogdon
Ad Feelders
Daniel M. Greenberg
Erich W Leonhardt
NEESH Manish
Dan Nicholson
Jay Redd
Mathias Thallmayer
David E A Wilson
and others as they send in info to be included!
D E E P F O R E S T F A Q
=============================
Mathias Thallmayer said all of the following down the "--" below:
Hopefully, this will clear up some of the confusion regarding recordings
featuring the Baka Pygmies.
DEEP FOREST
From a sticker on the cover: "A rare and unusual mix of ambient modern
music and the songs of the Pygmies of the Central African rain forest."
Deep Forest is based on an original idea by Michel Sanchez.
Arranged by Eric Mouquet and Michel Sanchez.
Keyboards and Programming by Eric Mouquet, Michel Sanchez and Cooky Cue
on "Savana Dance".
Produced by Dan Lacksman
From the liner notes on the Sweet Lullaby CDS:
"Deep Forest is not a band. Deep Forest is not an artist.
Deep Forest is a concept ... a state of mind.
Deep Forest is music to dance to *and* to listen to.
Deep Forest joins together the hi-tech dance music of modern Europe with
the haunting voices of the rain forest Pygmies of Africa."
From the liner notes on the Deep Forest full-length CD:
"Imprinted with the ancestral wisdom of the African chants, the music of
Deep Forest immediately touches everyone's soul and instinct. The forest of
all civilizations is a mysterious place where the yarn of tales and legends
is woven with images of men, women, children, animals and fairies. Not only
living creatures, but trees steeped in magical powers. Universal rites and
customs hvae been profoundly marked by the influence of the forest, a place
of power and knowledge passed down from generation to generation by the
oral traditions od primitive societies. The chants of Deep Forest, Baka
chants of Cameroun, of Burundi, of Senegal and of Pygmies, transmit a part
of this important oral tradition gathering all peoples and joining all
continents through the universal language of music. Deep Forest is the
respect of this tradition which humanity should cherish as a treasure which
marries world harmony, a harmony often compromised today. That's why the
musical creation of Deep Forest has received the support of UNESCO and of
two musicologists, Hugo Zempe and Shima Aron, who collected the original
documents."
"The Producers and Musicians on this recording are donating part of their
profit to the Pygmy Fund."
The Pygmy Fund
Attn.:Jean-Pierre Hallet
P.O.Box 277
Malibu, CA 90265
_________________________
[My 2 cents]
Deep Forest is Ambient Electronic Dance music combined with Baka chants.
This is very skillfully done. The chants don't just seem tacked on.
The music is quite good. It is similar in style and feel to Enigma.
(If you like Enigma, get Deep Forest. If you like Deep Forest, get Enigma.)
I prefer Enigma, but Deep Forest is still very nice. It is not earth
shattering but still worth-while. Note: this music is synthesizer and drum
machine based.
________________________________________________________________________
Then, we have two companion release produced by Martin Cradick of Outback.
(Released on Hannibal, a division of Rykodisc.)
HEART OF THE FOREST
(The Music Of The Baka Forest People Of Southeast Cameroon).
OK, this is the REAL deal. That means in the field recordings of the
people singing and playing. That means it is not a high-tech recording
with studio gimmicks. That means raw, unpolished, authentic music.
So be forewarned. It's for you if: you like unadulterated,
straight-from-the-source music; or, you are interested in hearing the type
of music Deep Forest used in it's natural state; or, dare I say it, you
wish to sample.
"Proceeds from the sale of this album will go back to the rainforest and go
a small way to reversing the flow of resources exploitatively removed from
the south to the north."
BAKA BEYOND/SPIRIT OF THE FOREST
This album was recorded approximately a year after Cradick and his wife
returned from living with a Baka family group for six weeks. Here is a
quote from his liner notes: "Some of these tracks were inspired by
listening to and playing with the Baka. Some are pieces that I wrote in the
forest with them which I have developed further since returning to England.
Others are 'covers' of their songs based on recordings made after giving
them our guitar and jamming with them on mandolin. I have tried to recreate
the spirit of these occasions rather than copy the music exactly and have
included their performances, especially their percussion, where it helps in
this aim."
"All performance and compositional royalties due to the Baka for this album
will be collected for them to use to protect their forest and to develop in
a sustainable way without losing their knowledge and culture."
________________________
[My 2 cents]
I guess you could say that this one falls into the World Beat category.
(It is not Ambient Dance like Deep Forest.) The music is sprightly,
upbeat, and very enjoyable. The music is primarily guitar, mandolin,
violin, flutes and percussion. This album is also very good and worth
gettng. (If you like this get Outback, Cradick's other group. One release
is titled "Baka".)
(BTW, Cradick mentions a UK documentary on Channel 4 that introduced him to
the Baka. Phil Agland had something to do with this.)
________________________________________________________________________
--
Q: If I like Deep Forest, are there other groups that I might like?
Don Gray said:
Try Enigma. They have two albums out - "MCMXC a.D." and "Cross of
Changes". Gavin Stok <gpsto1@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au> is compiling and
updating the Enigma FAQ and Discography.
Ad Feelders said:
If you like Deep Forest, I think you should definitely listen to ZOOLOOK by
Jean-Michel Jarre. More creative use of sampled human voices. I know the
DF-guys have listened to it (especially the title track!)
D I S C O G R A P H Y
=====================
Legend:
US = US release
EU = European release (specific country unknown)
FR = French release
NE = Netherlands
CD = Full-length CD
CD5 = 5" CD single
12" = 12" vinyl
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep Forest - Deep Forest [1992]
US CD Celine Music/Synsound/EPIC - EK 53747
US CD Sony 550 Music/Epic - BK 57840
NE/AU CD Dance Pool/Celine Music & Synsound/Columbia - DAN 471976 2
5.33 Deep Forest
3.54 Sweet Lullaby
3.27 Hunting
4.18 Night Bird
3.18 The First Twilight
4.26 Savana Dance
5.14 Desert Walk
5.46 White Whisper
3.00 Second Twilight [length is 1:24 on BK 57840]
3.47 Sweet Lullaby (Ambient mix)
5:48 Forest Hymn [on BK 57840 only]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep Forest - Sweet Lullaby [1993]
US CDS Epic - 49K 74919
3:55 Original Mix
6:10 (remix)
5:57 Q-Bass Mix [Remixed by Tony Garcia & Guido Osorio]
6:58 Round The World Mix [remixed by Pete Arden]
3:08 Bonus A La Efx [remixed by DJ Efx & DJ Digit]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep Forest - Sweet Lullaby [1993]
?? 12" ???? - ???? (pressed on green vinyl)
(some tracks and timings unknown - looking for more info)
?:?? Round the World mix
?:?? ????
?:?? Digit's Wet Dream mix
?:?? ???
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep Forest - Sweet Lullaby [1993]
?? 12" Sony/Celine 49 74919
6:58 Round the World Mix [remix by Pete Arden]
4:40 DJ Efx's Tribal as a Mofo Mix [redone and deconstructed by DJ
Efx & DJ Digit]
4:25 Digit's Wet Dream Mix [redone and deconstructed by DJ Efx & DJ
Digit]
5:57 The Downstream Mix [mixed by Joe Giucastro & Touche Moi II
Productions]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep Forest - Sweet Lullaby
FR CDS Celine Music France - 659924-2
4:00 Radio version
5:58 Nature's Dancin' mix [remix by Jam el Mar]
6:58 Round The World mix [remix by Pete Arden]
7:55 Apollo 440 mix [remix by Apollo 440]
6:36 Filet-o-gang Earth mix [remix by John Davis & Charlie Smith]
4:10 Tribal As A Mojo mix [remix by DJ Digit]
3:47 Ambient mix [remix by Deep Forest]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep Forest - Sweet Lullaby (5 remixes)
?? CDS Sony/Celine - DAN 658165 8 [1992]
3:55 Original mix
6:08 remix
6:01 Nature's Dancing mix [remix by Jam El Mar]
6:32 Natural Trance mix [remix by Jam El Mar]
3:47 Ambient mix
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep Forest - White Whisper
AU ??? ???? - ????
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deep Forest - Deep Forest (6 remixes)
AU CD5 Celine & Sonysound - DAN 658499 2 (40:04) [1992]
Dance Pool/Celine Music & Synsound/
Columbia (TM of Sony Music Entertainment Inc)
Made in Australia by Disctronics Limited
3:41 Radio mix [remix by Dan Lacksman]
8:06 RLP Deep Soul Remix [remix by Robert Levy Provencal]
8:47 RLP Trance Remix [remix by Robert Levy Provencal]
7:58 RLP Jungle Remix [remix by Robert Levy Provencal]
3:40 Sunrise at Alcatraz Session - Part 1 [A LOGICAL REMIX (R) by
Marc Spoon & Daniel Irribaren]
7:38 Sunrise at Alcatraz Session - Part 2 [A LOGICAL REMIX (R) by
Marc Spoon & Daniel Irribaren]
Tracks 1-2-3-4 mixed at Synsound Studios Brussels.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAMPLE CREDITS
Deep Forest - Contains sample from "Marilli", recorded by Stephen Jay
from the Elektra Nonesuch album "Ghana Ancient Ceremonies, Songs &
Dance Music". Courtesy Elektra Nonesuch Records by arrangement with
Warner Special Products.
Hunting, Nightbird - Ethnic Sound Series Vol. 4 Polyphony of Deep Rain
Forest track 1 and track 2 courtesy of JVC Musical Industries.
Forest Hymn - Ethnic Sound Series Vol. 4 Polyphony of Deep Rain Forest
track 1 courtesy of JVC Musical Industries.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BACKGROUND ON THE REMIXERS
NEESH <MS5224%ALBNYVMS.bitnet@UACSC2.ALBANY.EDU> said:
Tony Garcia works for/with MCT, which is a management company in
New York City. I don't think he has any of his own projects out,
but he has done remixes for Sven Vath, Depeche Mode, and a zillion
other people. He's pretty good too.
He did the "Nitrate mix" of "Rush" from Depeche Mode's
"Condemnation" single - really good stuff. Check it out if you get
the chance.
He also did a mix of "L'esperanza" on Sven Vath's single.
8bit@vlad.bowker.com (Dan Nicholson) adds:
One comes to mind, but his mixes weren't the best of it, and that's
the "Heroin" single from Billy Idol. Tony Garcia and Guido Osorio
did the "V.R. Heroin" and "Needle Park" mixes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you can help with any additional information, please e-mail me directly,
and I'll make sure you get credited with helping out. I'll post the final
version when I get more information.
Thanks,
Don
donpierr@netcom.com
Don
donpierr@netcom.com