Stéphane Pompougnac
The king of lounge arrives with the tenth in his Hotel Costes series

It comes as no surprise that French DJs have cultivated associations with sexy, luxurious brands. Take, for example, disco stylist Dimitri from Paris with his Playboy Mansion compilation series, or Stéphane Pompougnac with his Hotel Costes albums.

The latter arrives at Warehouse in Azubu-Juban next weekend with the unprecedented tenth installment of his series. Since the first Hotel Costes, named for the stylish Paris inn frequented by the stars, came out in 1999, the DJ has reportedly sold over two million copies of the album, unmatched for a mix-compilation series.

Pompougnac first paid his dues in clubs all over Paris, eventually becoming resident DJ at the legendary Les Bains et Douches. This led to a gig at the uber trendy Hotel Costes, where he played for figures like the Rolling Stones and Madonna. The liner notes for his first lounge compilation were written by actress Milla Jovovich.

With its sonic connotations of languor and luxury, the series has made Pompougnac a trendsetter in the chill-out arena. And in addition to a sprinkling of his own tracks, they always present the latest in European lounge. Hotel Costes X includes contributions by Solal and Dephazz, although some reviewers have complained that it lacks the sultry sexiness of previous installments…

Also hitting a chill note is Japanese artist Calm, who this week releases his fourth album—and first in four years. Out on domestic techno imprint Music Conception/Soundscape, Blue Planet offers an entirely different take on chill than Pompougnac’s. Where the Frenchman is all decadence and debauchery, Calm, as the title suggests, works with a host of singers and musicians to conjure the ebb and flow of our planet’s rivers and oceans.

Debuting a decade ago, Calm has worked under names like Organ Language and Japanese Synchro System, releasing tracks on labels both domestic and worldwide. A fixture of the local rave scene, he’s been called on to provide the right note of mellow morning closure to the marquee Metamorphose parties for the last several years.

Warehouse, Dec 7. See club listings for details. Blue Planet is available on Music Conception/Soundscape.

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