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NTS Guide to: Disques Debs
07.02.25 · London

NTS Guide to: Disques Debs

Diving into the back catalogues of one of the greatest of all French Caribbean labels, Disques Debs.

Emerging in the late 1950s under the vision of Henri Debs, Disques Debs became a cornerstone of Guadeloupe’s music scene, shaping the island’s sound for decades. The label’s vast catalogue spanned genres from biguine and bolero to cadence-lypso, zouk, and reggae, releasing an impressive array of over 300 7" singles and 200 LP albums during it's time.

Henri Debs ensured his studio remained at the cutting edge of sound production. Regular trips to New York and Paris allowed him to source the latest recording equipment and master new techniques, keeping his facility ahead of the curve. By the ’70s and ’80s, it had become one of the most sophisticated studios in the Caribbean, drawing artists from across the region - including Martinique, Dominica, Antigua, St Lucia, and Haiti - who sought its superior sound quality. Debs also documented this progression through extensive photography, charting the studio’s transformation from modest four-track machines to a top-tier SSL mixing desk.

Curated by Hugo Mendez

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Tracklist

  • Henri Debs Quintet
    Monsieur Kombass à Paris
  • Marius Cultier Quintet, Georges Tinédor 
    Cultir Kombass
  • Geno Exilie Et Solon Gonçalves
    La Récolte Fini
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  • Emmanuel Toussaint Et L’Orchestre Esperanza
    Perrique à Elena Tomber
  • Gerard La Viny Et Sa Guitare 
    Henri Té Vlé Mayé
  • Dolor Et Les Diables Du Rythme
    Bois Bois La Vigna

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  • Guy Conquête Et Casimir Létang
    Oh La L’agent Passer
  • Emilien Antille
    Bon çe ça
  • Tommy Olivencia
    Olvidate De Mi
  • Le Ry-Co Jazz 
    Tu Bois Beaucoup
  • Les Vikings
    Ambiance Vikings
  • Les Vikings D’Haiti
    OSS Vikings
  • Super Combo 
    Prend Sang Froid A Ou
  • Edouard Benoit 
    Mauve Cote La
  • Smoke 
    Lina Femm' Foll
  • Super Combo 
    Soy Boricua
  • Midnight Groovers, Pierre Labor 
    Femm' Débat
  • Les Maxels
    L’agent
  • Ti Celeste 
    Population Basse-Terrienne Aux Abois
  • Daniel Dimbas
    La Mizik (Siwo Edit)
  • Roger Plunket
    Les Requins
  • Ramon Pyrmée
    Aw Bon Maché
  • Max Et Henri
    Mwen Kay La Pech
  • Dominique Panol 
    Vie De Nuit
  • Sadi Lancreot 
    Dou Se Vou Ki Siwo
  • Christian Yéyé
    Missyé Zando
  • Karapat 
    An Nous Stope
  • Experience 7
    Lamou Se On Danjé
  • Tony Lodin & Ramon Prymée
    Pi Ou Li
  • Perfecta 
    La Divinité
  • Rico Et Pli A
    Pas Coler La