Deep Forset's debut album composed by Michel Sanchez & Eric Mouquet, produced and mixed by Dan Lacksman at his Snynsound Studios in Belgium. The album utilized archived African ethnographical recordings, which were cut up, looped, and mixed with modern dance beats creating an international phenomenon and a new style of music. Deep Forest sold over 2 million copies worldwide and was nominated for a grammy award for best world musc album. Five of the songs were released as singles, but it was the Sweet Lullaby taken from the Solomon Islands which was by far the most successful. The Sweet Lullaby video directed by Tarsem Singh was nominated for best music video of the year by MTV. Due to the growing success of the album it was re-released in 1994 under the name World Mix, with the addition of 4 remixes.

[more details]

For Boheme Deep Forest turned their sights away from the African pygmies and focused on the gypsy culture of Eastern Europe. This time around instead of relying solely on recordings, Deep Forest invited musicians like Marta Sebestyen and Katalin Szvorak to their studios in France so that they could work with them live. Dan Lacksman left the project, wanting to keep the music more studio oriented, and in 1996 released his own Deep Forest-like album Pangea.

The result of Eric and Michel's endevor is a darker and more mysterious sound. An early version of Martha's Song (Martha) was used in the French film Pret-A-Porter and was the first song to be heard from the second album. Boheme was released several months later and was again internationally acclaimed. Over 1 million copies of Boheme were sold as well as winning a grammy for best world music album.

[more details]

With Comparsa Deep Forest once again reinvented themselves with a joyous rhythmic sound from Central America and Madagascar. Michel traveled to Cuba to record the street musicians (known as a comparsa, also means partner) and meet new artists, while Eric flew to Madagascar.

The third album returned to the rhythm and dance of the debut release but with a much more elborate weave of textures and instruments, and plenty of accordian. The project became even more of a live thing, with a long list of guests including Wes Madiko, Ana Torroja, Abed Azrié, Jorge Reyes, Gilles Cagin, Joe Zawinul and Vetse.

Comparsa sold 500,000 copies, and was released around the world including in Japan.

[more details]

In 1995 Deep Forest was invited to perform with Youssou N'Dour at the Rochelle Francofolies Festival in France, performing Undecided and Mame Bamba (song by Youssou). It was their first experience bringing Deep Forest to the stage. The following year Michel and Eric gathered a large ensemble of musicians and went on a world tour visiting Europe, Australia and Japan, proving they could fully translate their studio project into a live show.

In 1998 after the completion of Comparsa, Deep Forest once again prepared to hit the road. Initially they had planned a large tour across the United States, but due to unknown complications the US tour was cancelled and Deep Forest instead performed mainly in Japan. Their performance at Tokyo's Koseinenkin Hall on September 9th, 1998 would capture just the right atmosphere. A recording of this concert was released a year later on Made in Japan.

[more details]

Deep Forest had composed music in the past for films like Pret-A-Porter (Martha) and Strange Days (While the Earth Sleeps & Coral Lounge), but they had never composed an entire score. The French film Prince du la Pacifique is directed by Alain Corneau, and takes place during 1914 in Tahiti.

Eric and Michel were flown out to Tahiti where the film was being shot so that they could gather music material. Once there they met with a local musician who intruduced them to a number of Tahitian musicians. Deep Forest was under sharp time restraints and began composing immediately. The style is a bit more electronic than their other works, and is composed with the film imagery in mind rather than as a stand alone album.

[more details]

Eric and Michel had initially planned this Asian themed album for their third release instead of Comparsa. While working on Music Detected several things happened, one being the attack on the World Trade Center, causing Deep Forest to change the direction of the music. The fourth album was very different from any of their previous music. There were now rock elements like live drums and electric guitars, and English lyrics with an emphasis on the environment. Although there were a number of Asian musicians involved, the album was less regionally and traditionally focused as compared to the first three studio albums.

Alabaman blues-rock singer Beverly Jo Scott appears on four songs and was a big influence on the new rock sound. From Asia there is Anggun, Chitose Hajime, Mahalakshmi Iyer and Taro Hakase each with their own song.

[more details]

Kusa No Ran is Deep Forest's second full-length soundtrack. This independent Japanese film is about the historical revolt of 1884 in the Chichibu region of Japan. Though it was an indi-flick, over 8,000 extras came from across Japan to take part in the large battle scenes.

The soundtrack is composed of 23, mostly very short, pieces. All the songs are instrumental, with the exception for Eternal Dream. There are few ethnic influences other than some drumming, instead the music is more classical with a number of piano and violin songs. An unusual aspect of this album is the fact that only two of the songs are composed by Michel Sanchez. This soundtrack was only released in Japan.

[more details]