Manu Chevalier's "Planet Groove from Marseille" Is A Disco Must-Have

Ready for almost an hour of fun? This amazing album, with three singles out prior to the official release on April 11th, showcases musical capacity and songwriting expertise to a whole ‘nother level in the context of proper disco and nightclub music. Manu Chevalier wrote, arranged, mixed – he’s basically the mastermind of the entire record, collaborated with a handful of vocal performers in select songs, and each one of them is curated with joyous spirits and love.

“Get on the Dance Floor” featuring BSKi is anything but simple – the melodies may have a certain pattern and familiarity to it, but when it comes to the instrumental as a standalone, it’s a different beast. Dissecting every element that went into the tune, the bass shines, and the funky guitar rhythm adds texture to the base that is the main beat. The lyrics are fun, carefree, and delivered in that same manner.

These songs have a lightness in them that will make anyone unconsciously move along when this album is playing. “I Belong to You” with Michael Washington carries that same upbeat groove, but also holds a narrative, a message that means more than what everyone expects of a song in this genre. “Such a moment in life / Turns the music into a trance / You make me dance” incorporates literal with figurative meaning that involves love, a giddy feeling that would make anyone go out of themselves in a good way.

What’s worth mentioning is the saxophone solos, played by Chevalier himself, which are present in “If You Could Hear What I Say” and the previous track. It definitely adds a nice touch, and would make anyone’s serotonin skyrocket. But, this song in particular takes the upbeat nature of this record in a different way, a different feel. It’s still on the road of love – seemingly offering it, as a matter of fact – as the main tone of the lyrics involves persuasion that he’s the best love she’s ever going to have. The harmonies along the bridge are simply wonderful, and even more so when paired with the aforementioned woodwind solo.

The vibe has subtly gone down and simmered with “Get Down and Dance”, featuring Ejay Rook, offering an intimate aura as the arrangement highlights the vocals more. The chorus and the layers within it are addicting, with Chevalier gracing us with adlibs and vocals in the background. When looked at a bit deeper, this song talks about bringing it all to the dance floor if one has the urge to feel free, to forget their worries even for just a while.

“Let’s Dance Let’s Sing” with Riki Buckingham is almost like a challenge, in a sense that it persuades the audience to get lost in the music and to show them what they’ve got, an indirect connection between these artists and their listeners. The horns amidst the guitar and bass give off a unique combination as well.

If we’re talking about songs that provide a different kind of flair, that would be “One More Dance” and “The World Is Falling Down” featuring Nida and Nimiwari respectively, as their vocals act as a different outlook and perspective on these tunes. They give off a certain snark, groove, pride, and boldness to the deliveries of the lines. What’s more is that there truly isn’t a bad chorus anywhere on this record.

At this point, you would realize that every single song on this album is worth creating choreographies for, if it wasn’t already obvious. This thought is most prominent while listening to “Before the Magic Has Gone” featuring Mason Blu, is the latest single released alongside the record. It is once again a song with a catchy chorus, and is about savoring time and living in the moment before it all ends and expires. “We Should Be Dancing” has a similar vibe, with the lines “The world is not the party that we hoped for / But music is the key to bring us together” being beautiful and genuine.

To put it all together, “Planet Groove from Marseille” wishes to communicate how everyone deserves to have a good time at some point in their lives. There’s no harm in having a break, or loving unconditionally. The album contains 9 songs + 2 bonus

The writing is actually what’s underrated about this album, as the booming instrumentals would catch listeners’ attention fully on the first listen. But overall, everyone should try this out for themselves.