U.S. AD USE ADDS TO COMMERCIAL
SUCCESS OF DEEP FOREST

By Carrie Brozillo

When French composers Michel Sanchez and Eric Mouquet teamed to create the music of Deep Forest, commercial success was not their priority.

"When we began the project, the idea was just to play the music we want and to preserve the emotion of the music," says Mouquet, who mixed indigenous vocal music, including pygmy chants, with house grooves and ambient rhythm tracks on "Deep Forest."

"It was important for us to preserve the tribal voices and not let the music overpower it."

"Deep Forest," released in May 1993 on 550 Music/Epic, peaked at No. 59 on The Billboard 200 on March 12 and received a Grammy nomination for Best World Album this year. "Lullaby" peaked at No. 78 on the Hot 100 Singles chart on March 5.

Polly Anthony, 550 Music GM, says the success of the "Deep Forest" video, directed by acclaimed director Tarsem, is another example of how MTV support can influence album sales. "MTV fell in love with it right away and before the holidays put it in breakthrough video," says Anthony.

The label created anticipation for the album by introducing a green 12-inch version of different mixes of "Sweet Lullaby" at the Winter Music Conference in Miami last year. The album also benefited from exposure on a television commercial for the Sony Trinitron XBR TV, which included "Sweet Lullaby" on it.

Modern rock radio's support, followed shortly after by Top 40 support, helped bring the album to gold status.

The label is gearing up for a second single and a promotion with beauty-supply chain Body Shop this summer to push "Deep Forest" even further. The Body Shop will include Deep Forest music in its "docu-mercial" history of the chain.

Additionally, Porsche has included Deep Forest music on 75,000 copies of a promotional video for Porsche dealers.