St. Germain

"I want you to get together," repeats a throaty female voice on Tourist's first track, "Rose Rouge." And how compelling the invitation sounds-one listen to the song's rapid, airy drums, melodic saxophone and unrelenting single chord conjures up Paris at its most romantic. We're talking dim lights and heightened breathing here.

But St. Germain, known as Ludovic Navarre to his friends in France, makes clear in the subsequent songs that his unifying vision reaches beyond the bedroom. Tourist is a brilliant fusion of jazz and electronic music. By combining not only the sound but the ethos of jazz and dance, St. Germain preserves its legitimacy in both genres. The house beats and repetitive structure that drives the songs accompanies truly impressive live trumpet, saxophone, flute, and keyboard solos. The drums, although looped, are real.

The experiment's success is clear on numbers like "So Flute," which features over eight minutes of flute playing so furious it's hard to decide whether to sit back in awe or dance in praise.

Tourist is an important record for both jazz and electronic music by expanding the boundaries of both genres. But that doesn't mean you can't play it while you and somebody special turn the lights off and sip bordeaux by candlelight.