Christian Falk

“A bloody mess” may be the loose meaning of Swedish producer Falk’s new release, but nothing could be further from the truth. The member of soul jazz collective the Blacknuss Allstars and the producer of Neneh Cherry and Youssou N’Dour’s “7 Seconds,” Falk creates warm grooves with flourishes of classic house, drum & bass and soul and applies them to originals and classics with unerring attention. The string-laden opener “Whenever,” featuring pop queen Robyn, is a pleasantly surprising harbinger. In addition, Falk rounds up many other singers with Swedish roots to lay down vocals on his textured soundscapes. The aforementioned Ms. Cherry delivers a sensual throaty take on “Moody” that dares you not to feel her yearning. Her lesser-known sister Titiyo, Demetreus and rising vocalist Stephen Simmonds also appear on this consistently strong effort. Aside from the sappy reworking of Bagdad Café’s theme “Calling You,” Quel Bordel is a cohesive, satisfying feast for the ear and feet.