Joie Noire / Blackjoy

CAT #: PR003

Voila! The third installment in Public Release‘s outstanding and well-liked Private Release picture disc series (Vol. 2 can be found here) launches the focus from out of NYC and into the Parisiosphere, which is totally welcome since after all, this is a San Francisco-based label.

But really, what a wonderful pairing they’ve got this time around, with Joie Noire on Side A, and his more recognizable alter ego Blackjoy on the B (hence the Jekyll’d out title). In this case, A stands for acid, as we are treated to a bubbling techno concoction named “Games”, which features liberal melodies that don’t feel the need to start and stop where they might be expected to do so. Any objections to that? “Shut your mouth”. You’ll understand if you pick up this 12″, which if you haven’t already, you can now. Side B revisits Blackjoy’s “Secrets” track off of his 2010 Erotis album, which appears in an extended form here. That is a great thing, since the groove on this cut is most tantalizing. Quite happy he decided to stretch this one out. Definitely not as tecque’d up as the A, but a familiar funky sound for which BJ is known, as evidenced on the Lucien Ent. site (song snippets galore).

Overall, yet another perfect picture disc that reminds us all that we can have our steak and eat it too!