Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Press Color: Remixes and Edits

  by Nicky Crewe

published: 25 / 3 / 2016

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Review

Lizzy Mercier Descloux is an intriguing artist. Poet, painter and self taught musician, she was an influential figure in the New York underground scene of the late seventies when punk and funk mixed it up with disco in ways that were risky and unpredictable. I wasn’t aware of her music then, but I was aware of her contemporaries and people she later worked with. Her influences were my influences as New York reached out to Manchester. Popular in her native France, she also lived in Africa, South America and the West Indies before her untimely death from cancer in 2004. Her adventure in New York began with she moved there with her partner Michael Esteban, who is still involved in the reissues of her music. Her debut album, 'Press Color', was first released in 1979. It was reissued to critical acclam in 2015. This new edition is a series of edits and remixes by contemporary DJs and producers, taking five songs to different places and proving how enduring and influential her approach to music still is. 'Press Color' was originally planned as a group release, but it was decided to concentrate on Descloux’s face and name. I can see why. Interestingly it was a time when women were gaining recognition as musicians and innovators. Patti Smith, Laurie Anderson and Blondie were gaining fame and interest. The CBGB’s circuit in NYC was bringing artists from different backgrounds together in a liberating mix. The Slits and the Sex Pistols were doing their thing in the UK. Descloux was involved with Richard Hell. Michael Zilkha of ZE records took her up. She went on to work with Didier Esteban and later pursued connections with reggae in the same way as the punk bands of the seventies in the UK did. She’s now seen as one of the pioneers of world beat and avant garde rock, with ‘no wave’, ‘mutant disco’ and ‘post punk’ labels attached. She worked with Green Gartside of Scritti Politti and Aswad. It was a genre defying mix at the time. In 2003 she said "It was just as simple as being 20, angry and living frantically in wild and crazy New York City". This selection showcases her voice, with that fantastic French accent. It’s funny and playful on Arthur Brown’s ‘Fire’. There’s another old favourite, a version of ‘Mission Impossible’, and then ‘Wawa’, ‘Hard Boiled Babe’ and ‘Herpex Simplex’ are also given the remix treatment. There are five versions of ‘Hard Boiled Babe’ and three of ‘Fire’. The mixes and edits include the Perez Brothers, T2MM, Charlus de la Salle, Glenn Rivera, Psonic Psummer, DJ Mila and Tussle. It’s not my world, but I enjoyed hearing how this talented and innovative artist continues to be relevant and exciting, influential and appreciated through the decades with their fickle fashions. The sleeve notes quote Edgard Varese. "Contrary to general belief, an artist is never ahead of his time but most people are far behind theirs."

Track Listing:-

1 Hard Boiled Babe (Perez Remix)
2 Misssion Impossible (Charlus De La Salle Edit)
3 Fire (Glenn Rivera Restructure Mutant Disco Edit)
4 Wawa (Charlus De La Salle Edit)
5 Hard Boiled Babe (Charlus De La Salle Edit)
6 Fire (Rafael Wallon Cut)
7 Hard Boiled Babe (T2mm Edit)
8 Wawa (Psonic Psummer Edit)
9 Hard Boiled Babe (Psonic Psummer Edit)
10 Hard Boiled Babe (Vermelho Edit)
11 Herpex Simplex [Clean] (Tussle Remix)
12 Fire (DJ Mila Edit)

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lizzy-M