Michel Sanchez came up with the idea of mixing Baka Pygmy chants with modern music after hearing on-site recordings of these tribes. Along with Eric Mouquet they created the project Deep Forest. Their first self-titled album (nominated for a Grammy) was released in 1992, with Sweet Lullaby being the smash single which would put Deep Forest on the musical map (UK Top 10 hit). The song "Sweet Lullaby" is adapted from a traditional song from the Solomon Islands. The album Deep Forest was dance-driven and the samples were heavily digitised and edited. It was re-released as a limited edition in 1994 under the name World Mix.
For their second album Boheme, Eric and Michel left behind the sounds of the forest and ventured into Eastern Europe bringing tender, lonesome Hungarian and Gypsy chants with upbeat, yet sad, music. The chants were no longer brief, instead extended phrases had been sampled from Hungarian, Russian and Transylvanian sample CDs. Marta Sebestyen performed on this album.
The duo also performed and produced the remixes for the Youssou N'Dour single "Undecided" in 1994, with guest vocals by Neneh Cherry (who featured on n'Dour's break-through single "Seven Seconds"). That same year Deep Forest made remixes for Jon Anderson's "Deseo", Apollo 440's "Liquid Cool" and Cesária Évora's "My Fatigue is Endless". In 1996 Deep Forest collaborated with Peter Gabriel on the song While the Earth Sleeps, which was written for the film Strange Days.
The follow-up third album, Comparsa, contained sounds and chants from Madagascar and Cuba. The music is often upbeat and celebratory. The last song from the album Media Luna, which was also released as a single, features a duet of Syrian and Spanish singers Abed Azrei and Ana Torroja from Spanish band Mecano. The duo collaborated with Joe Zawinul during the recording of the album. A recording of their live concert in Japan was also released on a CD called Made in Japan. Although all the songs featured in the show are from the previous three albums, they have new often-longer arrangements and all the chants are performed and reinterpreted by live performers.
In 1999 Deep Forest worked with Cheb Mami and Catherine Lara on the song "L'Enfant Fleur" which had been composed for Sol En Si (a French charity which helps HIV families).
In 2000, Deep Forest released a music for the movie Le Prince du Pacifique, Pacifique. It mixes pacific and island beats with electronic music. Music Detected was the title of their fifth much-anticipated official Deep Forest album which saw the duo turn its attention to the Far East and the Orient for inspiration. It also signalled a change in musical style for Deep Forest, from dance to a more rock-influence.
In 2008 Eric Mouquet released Deep Brasil, this album is a collaboration with Brazilian artist Flavio Dell Isola Amazonia.
In 2009, 2010 Eric Mouquet went on tour and prepared the upcoming album Deep Africa.
This album should be released in summer 2011 and will feature lot of African artists, Lokua Kanza, Blick Bassy, Oliza, Wasis Diop, Zama Magudulela, and Wes's brother, Dany Dikoume.
05. Bulgarian Melody
Deep Forest Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the place called Irday
Was washing vegetables
From the place called Irday
Mustafa was moving from far
And asked Todora
Mustafa was moving from far
Can you tell me
What is your name?
Can you tell me
What is your name?
Todora told to Mustafa
My name is the most beautiful and sweet
Todora is turkey's lover
The lyrics to Deep Forest's Bulgarian Melody tells a simple story of a man named Mustafa who is on a journey and stops to ask for the name of a woman named Todora. The repetition of "was washing vegetables from the place called Irday" and "Can you tell me what is your name" create a soothing and hypnotic effect, inviting the listener to sink deeper into the melodies and harmonies that engulf the lyrics.
The lyrics are sung in Bulgarian and the song itself uses a traditional Bulgarian folk melody. Deep Forest, known for their use of ethnic and tribal sounds in their music, incorporates the folk melody and infuses it with electronic beats and instrumentation, creating a modern and unique sound that is still firmly rooted in tradition.
Overall, the song celebrates the beauty of Bulgarian culture, highlighting the love of the people and the simplicity of life in a rural town. The lyrics speak to the universal experience of travel and connection, as well as the power of language and names to bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Was washing vegetables
Engaged in the act of cleaning vegetables
From the place called Irday
These vegetables are from a place called Irday
Was washing vegetables
Continuing the task of cleaning vegetables
From the place called Irday
Reiterating the origin of the vegetables being cleaned
Mustafa was moving from far
A man named Mustafa was traveling from a distant location
And asked Todora
Upon arriving at this location, Mustafa inquired to a woman named Todora
Can you tell me
Asking for information from the person being addressed
What is your name?
Specifically requesting the name of the person being addressed
Todora told to Mustafa
Todora provided a response to Mustafa's question
My name is the most beautiful and sweet
Todora believes her name is pleasant and charming
Todora is turkey's lover
This line appears to be unrelated to the previous ones and requires additional context to interpret
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERIC MOUQUET, MICHEL SANCHEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind