La Vie En Rose ushers in 2017 with its second compilation, the aptly-titled Fear Of A Rose Planet. Compiled and curated by label boss Terence:Terry:, this collection of eight smooth grooves comes from a variety of artists and represents the label's ultra deep side with a serenity and ambience pervading throughout the music. A year and a half since their first comp, Deeper Than Rose, dropped, the French label unveils another hot selection of fresh jams from a cast of international talents.
In an age where the powers-that-be seem intent on making the world a darker place, Fear Of A Rose Planet feels like a fitting title for a selection of music that has beauty, and a sense of optimism, at its core. The title, inspired by Public Enemy's classic album, also represents the international lineup of contributors to this landmark compilation. Nations repped include Greece, Colombia, Chile, Ukraine, Russia, Montpellier, New York, France... all of whom come together to form 'Planet Rose'.
Fear Of A Rose Planet also features a rare classic by British legend Baby Ford. This timeless beauty works perfectly alongside the contemporary cuts on the compilation evoking the mood of a bygone era and, perhaps, an insight into how our future might sound.
The depth of sound is evident right from get go as we're eased into a laid back ride courtesy of Liou with 'Birdcall'. Deep bassline penetrate the recesses of your mind while exuberant pads whisk you off to a distant paradise. LYE steps up next with 'Delta88', a more sprightly production which works off skippy percussion and warm, soothing keys - the atmosphere is animated and cosmic with lots of bleeps and chirps keeping things engaging. Next up is 'Vae Victis' by Frisky Business, who is the captain of an absorbing journey into the cosmos. Stick the needle on this wonderful groover and let it take you away, up to the stars and beyond. Camilo Gil & ?ne + 1 then give us 'Mood On 4', a delicate downtempo cut with soft keys, a sombre, groaning bassline and languid drums. It's the perfect track to wind down to, full of LVR flavour and sampling old NASA recordings to keep in with the intergalactic feel of the other tracks on the compilation.
Anton Bajen's 'Lakmus' is an enchanting ditty, with tribal chants buried in the background and an authentic sounding melody which also feels indigenous. Bronxy & Gorbani up the ante a little with their track, one of the tougher cuts on the compilation. 'Swamp' has more pace and more punch but still features a calming set of pads and a soothing b-line. Next up is Baby Ford's remix of Dj Sonic (Paris Veteran), which splices a gruff analogue low end with dreamlike swathes of synth, giving it a timeless appeal. Last up it's 'Month-Weeks-Days' by Caceress, a bouncy, high-energy way to close out the release. Clever snappy beats are placed under bubbling bass and timid pads, which grow in stature as the track progresses, eventually punctuating a short breakdown.
Across eight tracks La Vie En Rose demonstrates why it's one of the foremost labels within the contemporary, avant-garde scene. Keeping things strictly on the deep tip, while also injecting verve and a positive vibe into all the music they select, Fear Of A
