D-Genre\'s debut album Leisure Play is a superlatively happy collection of experimental disco-mood sound nestled between ambient soundscapes and breathy pop. It\'s jazzy and melodic, and mostly laid-back, but not excessively so. It\'s also very, very French. Now, obviously this is not everyone\'s cup of tea; Leisure Play is probably a little too dance oriented for anyone looking for a meditation soundtrack, and if you\'re the sort of person who has been referring to French fries as \"Freedom Fries\" for the last couple of months, it\'s going to be way too Gaelic for your taste. Having said that, D-Genre offers up a lot of fun. There are a few shake-it, shake-it numbers, like the absurdly smooth hit Drum al\'amour, and slower, more contemplative numbers like, Keep On Lovin\'. With vocals reminiscent of Sade with backing tracks by Grand Funk Railroad, how can you lose?


It\'s snap your fingers and hang out (while reading) music or dance around sexy-slow with your mate music. It\'s also the perfect music to do your ironing or some other chore. It slips in and out of your consciousness, forcing you to move around with a relaxed smile before you even realize it. If I have one problem with the release, it\'s that some of the early-on tracks sound a little too like one another, but as the end of the release rolls around, that point becomes moot. The ninth track \"Venus Drum Bassa\" is easily one of the most interesting songs on Leisure Play. It mixes chirping electronic Bossa Nova with another rumbling beat and has a sample in the middle that makes the entire thing ...well, rock. Bravo.