POPOF: the 10 tracks that blew my mind

Hailing from Paris, POPOF is a DJ/producer who emerged from the rave scene and has since taken his house/techno sound around the world.

He established his Form label in 2009 and released President, his most recent EP, on the imprint late in 2016. Prior to that he gave us Love Somebody, a full-length LP, in 2015, and he’s also created remixes for the likes of Moby and Depeche Mode.

POPOF draws on a wide range of influences, something that became apparent when we asked him to choose the tracks that blew his mind. Read on to find out what made his top 10, and why...

“I’ve always been a big Prodigy fan and, for me, their album Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned is their best. It’s got plenty of guests, from Juliette Lewis to Kook Keith, to Princess Superstar amongst others. Every single track is amazing so it was really hard to choose, but I had to pick only one, so…”

“This song is so precious, I was so touched by its sweetness, musically and vocally. To call the track Simply Beautiful does it so much justice. It’s a beauty.”

“When I was a teenager, I used to listen a lot to American hip-hop. I was in the middle of the golden era, with all these cult groups emerging one after another - Public Enemy, N.W.A., Run-D.M.C. They were politically involved, they spread real messages and they were taking over the world with their amazing beats and samples, and their violent - but nonetheless catchy - lyrics.”

“I’m a huge Marvin Gaye fan. I think I’ve got more or less his entire discography. Obviously, it was a bit complicated for me to pick only one track in his immense repertoire! So let’s just say I randomly picked one, a jewel amongst so many other jewels.”

“This one is a big classic - it’s timeless. This track always takes me to places; it has this magical effect on me. It’s important to really listen to it until the end!”

“This track is emblematic, because for me it represents late-‘90s electro music. It’s got such a sexy bassline, besides the sexy moans of course, and completely trippy ‘I’ve taken acid’ parts. Perfect for the head, the heart and the soul!”

“Etta James touches me so deeply with her beautiful songs, such as At Last and Sunday Kind of Love. She’s one of a few select singers - like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald - who’ve written the history of female vocal jazz and traced the path for the others. She’s a master.”

“Taken from the album The Last Resort, this track is mesmerising. Its atmosphere is haunting, while at the same time explosively powerful. Actually, the entire album deserves to be checked out because it’s a pure jewel; it belongs up there with the great ones.”

“This song is on what I consider Eddie Harris’s best album ever! It’s a quintessential blues song; the bass blends in with her rasping, deep voice, and all the while she’s telling her sad story, singing about her bad luck. Her story ends in heaven (or hell!) and it’s a true pleasure for the ears.”

“This is a hardcore gabber track I played over and over again during my rave party years. For me, this is one of the most original tracks to come out of the gabber era - a true genre classic.”