Manau - Fest Noz De Paname (2000)

The French hip-hop collective Manau may take a little inspiration from the American rap scene, but they fashioned a great sound solely from indigenous French music. From the infectious harmonica driving the opener "Tout le Monde..." to the accordion punch of the title track, the group salutes their heritage but never devolve into gimmicky tracks. Manau also conjures a smooth, sensual groove for "Je Jazz les Couleurs," featuring American expat Dee Dee Bridgewater. The rapping is solid (though the lyrics may be lost on listeners with little French), though the beats aren't quite as fresh as the musical ideas.