The lounge movement didn’t die, at least not completely. It wound up getting absorbed into dance music. The result? A pleasant, though not-too-challenging hybrid that hints at some of the more airy segments of acid jazz without turning into a complete snorefest. With continental percussion, hypnotic house-influenced beats and prodding instrumental work by Parisian house maven Ludovic Navarre, St. Germain’s Tourist is an easy pill to swallow, especially the Brubeckish disc opener “Rose Rouge” and the vibes and piano-augmented “Latin Note.” Be sure to chase it with the appropriate amount of attitude, cigars and flavored martinis-otherwise, you’ll miss the point.
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