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Enfants
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Wikipedia article
"'Enfants'" is a 2008 single by electronic music producer Ricardo Villalobos. Though 17 minutes in length, the A-side, "Enfants (Chants)", has been described as a "remarkably catchy, hype-inducing DJ tool" by Pitchfork Media, and as a "great tool for DJs" by electronic music magazine Resident Advisor, due to its minimal changes over the course of the entire song.
Structure
The branding of "Enfants (Chants)" as a "DJ tool" is due to its unusual structure, incorporating "no development over its seventeen minute length". The song is based on a repeating sample of "Baba Yaga La Sorcire", a track from Christian Vander's 1995 rework of his band Magma's 'Mekank Destruktw Kommandh' (1973). With the addition electronic drums and hi-hat, it "turns snippet of a prog rock classic into a minimal techno classic." The sample simply fades in at the beginning, and fades out at the piece's conclusion. The minimal development through the song invites seamless DJ mixing; Villalobos himself stated that "the idea is that anyone can mix whatever track into this track because it doesn't have too much melody, tones or harmony inside."
The B-side, "Enfants (Tambours)", is a ten-minute "DJ tool" in a similar style, consisting of only percussion and bass.
Reception
"Enfants (Chants)" was released to much hype, and received generally positive reviews. It was given a 5 star rating by 'DJ Magazine' and was rated 3.5/5 in a review by Resident Advisor. It was also featured in a number of "best of 2008" lists, including being named the 52nd best track of 2008 by Pitchfork Media and a "Critical Beat" of 2008 in 'The Wire'
Track listing
References
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